


Loyalty | Draco Malfoy

by supersoakerluke



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Draco Malfoy - Freeform, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Hogwarts, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:01:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 75
Words: 359,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26393830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supersoakerluke/pseuds/supersoakerluke
Summary: I gathered all the courage in my body to glare right back at Lucius, his eyes bearing down at me. He took a step closer, his hand jutting out and his fingers wrapping around my neck. Against my will, my hands flew up in a weak effort to tear his hands off, wrapping around his wrists so tight my knuckles went white. He lifted me, my feet just barely dangling off the floor. I couldn't see him, but Draco was watching us with wide eyes, his mouth open in shock. Furious, I spat at Lucius."Your son does it better."
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s), Draco Malfoy/Reader
Comments: 1402
Kudos: 1155
Collections: Draco





	1. introduction/a couple notes

Hey! Before I started this, I just wanted to make a few notes. 

First off, yes, I have rediscovered my love for Draco Malfoy through TikTok. So I felt the need to write on it. What a little cutie.

Secondly, I'm not incredibly familiar with the Harry Potter series. It's been a few years since I've read the books, and bits and pieces have left my memory. I'm assuming that most, if not all, of this fanfic will not be completely accurate and probably won't align with the books, so just keep an eye out for that. I'll refer to parts that I remember, though.

I have a lot of ideas for this, and it's definitely going to follow a slow burn and I'm planning on having eventual smut. I will be cross-posting on Wattpad (https://www.wattpad.com/948473540-loyalty-draco-malfoy-introduction-a-quick-note) under the same username (supersoakerluke), for those who would rather read over there. I recommend reading on a laptop so there's no ads if you have ad-blocker!

Also, I'm American so I have absolutely no idea how anything works over the pond.

That's all I can think of for now, but I hope you enjoy the story!

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter world, which is trademarked by J. K. Rowling. The story I tell here is my own invention, and it is not purported or believed to be part of J.K. Rowling's story canon. This story is for entertainment only and is not part of the official story line.


	2. chapter one

I was thirteen when I came home to find my parents dead. 

On the cusp of starting my first year at Hogwarts, I had returned from Diagon Alley to find my parents’ eyes glazed over, staring towards something they would never see. Chairs and tables were overturned, and I could hear the water in the kitchen sink still running. My mother’s owl was hooting in the living room, perched upon his stand. 

My aunt, who had taken me out to buy supplies, was in the car still, gathering my textbooks. I stood in the front doorway, completely frozen as I stared at the scene in front of me.

“Honey? What’s wrong?” I heard her call from behind me, followed by the car door shutting. She was balancing seven books, tucked in the crook of her arm. I didn’t move as she came up behind me. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, it was like I was completely numb to the sight of my dead parents. 

As soon as she saw, my aunt screamed, my books hitting the wood of our front porch and tumbling a few feet away. My vision and thoughts seemed to go into slow-motion, my lips slightly parted as I watched my aunt run into the house and drop down next to my mother, her sister. She looked back and I could see her lips moving, but I couldn’t hear what she was saying. My eyelids fluttered shut against my will, and I felt the world slipping away as I collapsed on our front porch.

\-----

Officials at the Ministry of Magic told me it was a blitz attack, that my parents didn’t even have the chance to find their wands. There wasn’t much physical proof as to who did it, but it was clear that it had been done with a spell. I could tell my aunt and the ministry were withholding information from me, since they always turned down my request to know more. 

I had only cried once since my parents had died, which I found extremely odd. It’s not that I wasn’t devastated over the loss of them; rather it seemed like I couldn’t process it completely. I had only cried in the shower one night, away from the watchful eyes of my aunt. 

I was supposed to depart for Hogwarts tomorrow, but my things have been packed for over a week. I guess I decided to pack as a way of coping, something to take my mind off of it.

“Olive? Are you all packed for tomorrow?” I heard my aunt call up the stairs, my bedroom door slightly cracked. I was laying on my back in my bed, staring up at the ceiling. Twirling my wand around in my fingers, I turned my head to glance at my trunk, the new latches gleaming in the low light.

“Yeah, all ready to go!” I called back, trying my best to make my voice not as, well, numb. I could hear footsteps making their way up the staircase, so I sat up, crossing my legs underneath me. My aunt poked her head in, offering me a small smile. I smiled back, scooting over in my bed so she could sit next to me.

We had been gentle around each other since my parents died, never talking about more than needed to be said. 

“I found this in your mother’s nightstand. I’m assuming she meant to pass it onto you before you started this year,” she said, handing me a small box. I set my wand down on my comforter, my fingers tracing around the sharp edges of the box. “I’m sorry she couldn’t give this to you in person.” I bit my lip, nodding.

Opening it, I found a small pendant of an olive branch hanging around a silver chain. I chuckled, a smile forming on my lips as my eyes gazed over the carefully crafted pendant. 

“Your mother has always been better than me when it comes to gift-giving,” my aunt huffed playfully, her hands resting on her knees. 

“Thank you for finding this,” I said, taking the necklace completely out of the box. The chain was long, exactly the way I like my jewelry, long enough to hide under shirts. My aunt nodded, reaching up to rub my back.

“Your parents were extraordinary people, Olive. I know it’s hard to start Hogwarts without them, but I am so proud of you and the person you’re becoming. You’re going to do great things,” she said, giving me a soft smile. “If you’re passing Potions by Christmas break, I’ll buy you anything you want.”

I laughed, knowing that was the class she had struggled with the most during her time at Hogwarts. I grasped the necklace in my hand, dropping the box to my bed as I enveloped her in a hug. After a few seconds, we broke away and she stood. 

“Alright, well, remember that we have to leave by ten tomorrow morning in order to make it to King’s Cross in time,” she said, walking towards my door and waiting in the doorway for my recognition. I nodded, acknowledging what she said. My aunt bit her lip like she was debating whether or not to say something more.

“Hogwarts will be good for you, Olive. You’ll learn how to defend yourself, and you’ll also be in the safest place possible for you right now,” she said quietly, and I knew she was referring to my parents’ death.

“I know, Aunt Beth. I just wish you could come with me,” I chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood a bit. The ends of her mouth curved into a small smile, and she patted my doorframe gently before turning and closing the door behind her.

After the door closed, I opened the clasp of the necklace and fastened it around my neck, the olive branch hanging a few inches under my collarbones. Standing, I grabbed my wand and opened my trunk, wedging it between a couple sweaters to ensure it wouldn’t snap on the journey. Returning to bed, I crawled under the covers and closed my eyes, falling asleep almost instantly.

\-----

The next morning, I woke from my alarm clock beeping. Slapping the top of it, I rolled over and shoved my face back into my pillows. I felt fine until the thought of Hogwarts entered my head, instantly making my stomach erupt in nervous butterflies. I knew absolutely nobody, my parents had put me into a nearby muggle school when I was five. Although this would be my first time at Hogwarts, I was coming in what would be considered my third year. On top of that, I had no clue what to expect. My father had attended Durmstrang, so his experience wasn’t exactly applicable in my case. On the other hand, my mother and aunt went to Hogwarts. My mother had told me she was a Ravenclaw, but nothing else. My parents kept their magical backgrounds secretive, so much so that I didn’t even know magic existed until my aunt came to visit once when I was ten. 

She is definitely what they call a “cool” aunt. She never married, never had children. Traveling for most of her early adult years, she brought back trinkets from around the world for me to collect. On a daily basis, she used basic spells that would assist her in cleaning the kitchen, or simple transfiguration that astounded little me. Watching a mushroom turn into a mouse was something I couldn’t fathom at the time. Her and my mother were completely opposites when it came to magic.

I guess that’s why my parents had been so easily killed. They kept all traces of magic, including their wands, locked up in the attic. Truthfully, they never had a chance once whoever it was came through the front door. 

My alarm blared once again, signaling the snooze time was over. I groaned, sitting up and hitting my palm on the top of the clock. It quieted, and I slid out of bed. Trugging to the bathroom, I washed my face and brushed my teeth. Packing up a few last minute items, I returned to my room and tossed my toiletry bag into my trunk. 

Since I wasn’t assigned to a house yet, I dressed in a black robe, with a gray cable knit sweater and a pair of black pants underneath. Shoving my pajamas into my trunk, I shut the top and latched it closed. It was quite heavy once everything was in it, so I pushed it down the hallway, and then carefully down the stairs. After setting it upright by the front door, I walked into the living room to get the owl my parents had bought me earlier this summer.

She was dark brown and had large, vibrant yellow eyes. I had named her Athena, after the Greek goddess that was associated with the creation of the olive tree. My father had found it a bit cheesy, to which I agreed with to a certain extent. At the end of last school year, my friends had introduced me to Greek mythology, and I became obsessed. My father had gotten annoyed with me acting like I had a god-given gift from reading encyclopedias and such, but my mother waved it off as me being excited. Opening her cage, I ran my finger down the back of her head, to which she closed her eyes and settled comfortably into her perch. 

After closing and securing her cage, I set her on top of my trunk and headed towards the kitchen. My aunt had made a small breakfast, something home-y to send me off on. 

“Excited?” she asked, looking up from where she had been buttering two slices of toast. 

“Yeah, a bit nervous though,” I admit, sitting on one of the island barstools. 

“Ah, it’s understandable. I basically shit a brick when I got on the Express my first time,” she shrugs, before she realizes what she said and her eyes widen. “I didn’t mean to swear, I’m sorry.”

I chuckle and shake my head, brushing it off. “Don’t worry about it, dad used to cuss all the time. Mom would get so pissed.”

My aunt laughed with me, agreeing with my statement about my mum. We sat together at the island to eat breakfast, where my aunt continued to tell me about her first-year experience. 

“Do well in classes, don’t be out past curfew, make friends with your professors and with others, and no boys!” she waggled her finger at the end, making me blush. Boys? As if, I doubted any would even cross my path this year. 

I helped my aunt in putting away the dishes, the butterflies erupting in my stomach again once I glanced at my trunk and Athena, waiting for me by the front door. 

“Alright! Let’s get this show on the road!” my aunt exclaimed, clapping her hands together loudly, making the owls turn their heads towards her. I said goodbye to my mother’s owl, and then to my aunt’s owl.

My aunt was in the process of rolling my trunk out to the car as I stood in the doorway, looking around the house. I wouldn’t be back here until Christmas break, so I guess I felt the need to take one last look to hold me over for the next few months. Unintentionally, my eyes landed on the spot where I saw my dead parents were slumped together, holding each other up. My breath hitched in my throat, temporarily stopping. I swallowed thickly, blinking my eyes harshly in hopes of clearing my vision. Athena hooted softly from her spot on the floor where my aunt had set down her cage before moving the trunk. My gaze snapped away from where I was staring and towards her. 

Bending down, I curled my fingers around the small handle on the top of her cage, lifting it from the ground. Spinning on my heel, I turned and walked out the front door, closing it behind me. My aunt had managed to fit my trunk in the back of the car, and was currently standing next to the driver’s side, the door open. 

“Let’s go!” she said, a real, genuine smile directed at me. I knew she was proud of this milestone in my life, and I was fortunate that I had her next to my side during it. I smiled back as I walked to the car, setting Athena in the backseat and then climbing into the passenger seat.

“So, what’cha think? Little bit of Led Zeppelin on the way there?” my aunt asked, turning on the car’s radio system. I nodded, reaching to my left and pulling the seat belt over me before securing it. My aunt started up the car, backing out of the driveway and following the directions to King’s Cross.

As I watched my house become smaller and smaller in the side mirror, I thought to myself. 

_Please, whoever’s up there. Please let this be a good thing for me._


	3. chapter two

Aunt Beth and I arrived at King’s Cross fifteen minutes before the train left. While I grabbed Athena out of the backseat, Aunt Beth wrangled my trunk out of the back, before slamming it shut.

“Let’s go, let’s go. Can’t be late on your first day,” she said, ushering me towards the sidewalk and into the station. She had explained Platform 9 ¾ last night, but I still couldn’t wrap my head around how that would happen. Walking straight into a brick wall? Questionable. 

My trunk’s wheels moved at a steady pace over the small divots of the flooring in the station, producing a beat that somehow calmed down my heart. Once we arrived at the area between platforms nine and ten, I turned, raising an eyebrow towards my aunt. Rolling her eyes, her head nodded towards a group of red-heads who were clearly a family.

“Youngest to oldest! Move it!” the mother called, nudging a young girl towards the wall. She ran without hesitation and disappeared into the brick. The rest of the children followed suit, and were followed by the mother. 

“You go first, I’ll be right behind you,” my aunt said, and I nodded. My grip on Athena’s cage tightened and I lined myself up with the wall. Closing my eyes, I quickly walked towards the brick, not trusting myself enough to run. A brief, weird sensation washed over my body, and when I opened my eyes, I was greeted by a bustling platform full of parents and students, and a large, gleaming train puffing a light gray smoke. 

My aunt came out seconds behind me, my trunk trailing behind her. “Now, if they haven’t changed the way they do things since your mother and I attended, I believe we hand off Athena and your trunk to the young man over there,” she gestured with a nod of her head. “And they’ll be in your dormitory once you arrive.”

I turned my head, finding the man my aunt was referring to. We walked over, standing in a small queue before finally handing off my things. Stepping to the side, my aunt grabbed both my shoulders, beaming at me. 

“Your parents would be so proud,” she whispers, and I can tell she’s trying not to cry.

“Thank you for being here with me,” I said, pulling her in for a hug. I clutch her tight, squeezing my eyes shut. I think I was more nervous than sad, at least for the journey to Hogwarts. Since I knew no one, I was planning to find a small compartment and stare out the window the whole ride. I decided I’d try to make friends once classes started. I pulled away from my aunt, giving her a small smile. The whistle of the train sounded, and my aunt twisted her wrist so she could read her watch.

“It’s 10:55, that’s the five minute warning,” she said, her other hand enveloping her wrist to twist her watch nervously. “Go! Go, go, go. Find a seat and make friends.” She pushed me gently toward the train, where some other students were already beginning to file in. The rest of the platform was buzzing with the calls of final goodbyes and some parents crying. I gave my aunt one last wave before I got swept up in a small crowd of students.

“Make sure to owl me when you can!” I heard her call over the noise, and I chuckled to myself.

I slipped through the open doors and followed other students down the narrow hallway. Most of them ducked into compartments with their friends, and once I was nearing the end of the car, I found myself to be alone. I bit my bottom lip, my eyes darting around and surveying a few different compartments. I guess I was so in my head that I hadn’t heard two boys coming up behind me.

“Move.” 

Before I got a chance to even look behind me, my body was knocked against the glass door of one compartment. My elbow hit the handle, sending a shock wave of pain down my arm. I winced, my other hand immediately rubbing my elbow.

“Watch it,” I snapped, though I could only see the back of their heads as they were headed to the last compartment of the car. One was shorter, and a tad bit on the heavier side. The other was a bit taller, but had the blondest hair I had ever seen. The shorter one turned first, followed by the blonde. 

I glared at them, still rubbing my elbow. My eyes trailed down to the green colored crests adorned on both their robes. Slytherins. My aunt had told me a bit about the Hogwarts houses, and she had mentioned that some of the worst people she encountered were Slytherins. That being said, she was a Gryffindor, and I had sensed some tension between the two houses from what I gathered from her stories.

“Excuse me?” the blonde boy spoke, his eyebrow raised. The shorter one crossed his arms, standing a bit behind the blonde.

“I said watch it,” I repeated myself, raising an eyebrow right back at him. The small smirk on his face flattened into a line. I bit my tongue from saying anything else, and instead grabbed the door handle, sliding the door open and letting myself into the compartment. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the shorter boy place a hand on the blonde’s shoulder, attempting to pull him back in the direction they were previously headed. As I shut the door, I glanced over to see the blonde staring back with piercing eyes. He shrugged off his friend’s grip and turned, heading back down the hallway.

The throbbing in my elbow had gone down, and I sighed, collapsing on the bench that faced away from where those boys were sitting. Crossing my arms over my chest, I glanced out the window at the platform, which was less busy than it was five minutes ago. I saw parents waving enthusiastically at their children, wide smiles covering their faces. Unconsciously, my fingers reached up and I twirled my necklace around my forefinger.

My parents never told me why they kept me in Muggle school for these past two years. My transfer to Hogwarts was only decided a few months ago, my parents muttering that it was a “safe place” and that it was probably a good thing that I “learn how to be a witch.” 

I wished I had started with the rest of the students in my year. I had no clue on how to even use a wand, let alone do anything magic-y, for a lack of a better word. My aunt had tried to teach me a few basic spells before I left, but I could only really cast lumos. 

She had also told me about the two electives I ended up choosing, Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures. Muggle Studies was a guaranteed pass for me, but Care of Magical Creatures piqued my interest, and frankly, made me a little nervous. The only odd animal my parents had growing up was our owl. I always told my Muggle friends that he had lived in our backyard, but we had taken him in as a rescue after he got injured. Looking back, I don’t really see how that was believable in any sense-

A knock on the door shook me from my thoughts and I blinked before looking over. A couple girls were standing outside, and one slid open the door, poking her head in.

“Do you mind if we sit with you?” she asked, and I nodded, scooting over on the bench. It was probably just her striking red hair, but I recognized her from the platform. The other girl had blonde hair, almost as light as the boy’s from earlier. 

“We hate to barge in, but my brothers were being annoying, and, uh,” she paused, sitting down on the bench across from me. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.” The blonde girl closed the door and moved between us to sit by the window, placing her hands in her lap. 

“I’m Ginny,” the redhead stuck out her hand and I shook it politely, giving her a small smile. 

“You’re right,” I laughed, settling back into the cushions as I gave the blonde girl a smile as well. “I just transferred, I’m starting as a third year. My name’s Olive.”

“Oh, that’s a beautiful name!” the blonde said, her voice airy and light. She was a little bit odd, I thought to myself, but I forced my smile to stay on my face. “Luna.” she introduced herself, handing her hand out as well. I shook her hand, sucking in a breath when she squeezed my hand tight. An unexpected strong grip for a small girl.

“Where from?” Ginny asked, shrugging off her robe and setting them down beside her.

“Uh, I was in a Muggle school since I was little,” I explained, fiddling with my fingers. Ginny’s eyes widened, and I got nervous, thinking it was a bad thing for a second. 

“Oh, that’s fascinating! My father is completely obsessed with Muggles, he would absolutely love to talk to you. Is it true they have a break in the morning? Like where you go out and play for a bit?” she asked and she leaned forward in her seat, interested.

My nerves calm and a genuine smile forms on my face. I nodded, replying, “Yeah, we do. Or did, I guess.”

“I’m so jealous, we always got stuck in classes all day, every day,” Ginny sighs, her nose scrunching up into her face. 

I glanced over at Luna, who was staring out the window. The movement outside confused me for a second, I hadn’t even noticed that the train had departed the station.

“I love the trainride,” Luna said, more to herself than to us. I raised an eyebrow, but I scooted closer to the window and looked out at the changing scenery. Maybe it was the magic, but it seemed like we had entered the forest a lot sooner than I had expected.

“What houses are you guys in?” I asked, breaking the small silence we had sat in for a minute. 

“I’m a Gryffindor, and Luna’s a Ravenclaw,” Ginny answered. I hoped I would get sorted into one of those, it would be nice to know someone right off the bat.

“My mom’s a Ravenclaw,” I blurted out, trying to keep the conversation going.

“Oh, that’s wonderful! We’re a bunch of great people, but maybe I’m a bit biased,” Luna giggled, and I chuckled. I decided not to correct myself, they didn't necessarily need to know both my parents are dead. 

We fell into some more small talk, and I got to know Ginny and Luna a bit more. I learned that Ginny has six brothers, who are all Gryffindors like her. She also warned me of her twin brothers, who she says like to get into all sorts of mischief at Hogwarts. 

We were interrupted by an older lady rapping at the door, who opens it before we get the chance to.

“Anything from the trolley, dears?” she asked, and Ginny and I shook our heads. Luna stood and bought a couple things, sitting back down by the window as the trolley lady moves on to the next compartment.

The green trees outside morph into a wet mess, the rain lashing against the windows. I pulled my robe tighter across my body, snuggling into the material. Ginny, Luna and I continued to talk, but more so about cute celebrities and other gossip. 

“Did you hear Sirius Black broke out of Azkaban?” Ginny asked, her eyes darting back and forth between me and Luna. I shook my head, not even sure what Azkaban was. 

“If you don’t mind me asking, what’s Azkaban?” I said, a tinge of embarrassment in my voice. I guessed it wasn't my fault my parents never told me much about the wizarding world, but it would’ve been nice to know some key things before they shipped me off to a magic school.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Ginny apologized, offering me an understanding look. “It’s this prison that’s on this remote island in the sea, it’s completely protected by these things called dementors.”

“It’s practically impossible to break out of,” Luna chimed in, and I nodded slowly, taking their information in.

“So he just escaped?” I asked, my eyebrows knitting together in confusion. 

“Yeah, everyone’s on the lookout for him now,” Ginny answered, shrugging her shoulders and sitting back in her seat. 

“Hm,” I huffed, my mind processing this so-called impossible feat that’s been overcome. A dangerous man breaking out of a prison days before I start at Hogwarts. “Safe” my ass, mom and dad. 

The train started to slow, a loud screeching noise echoing through the train cars. It’s still cloudy, and from what I could make out, there’s still a forest outside. There’s no way we’re there yet.

“Why are we stopping? There’s no way we’re there yet,” Ginny frowned, parroting my thoughts. She leaned over and looked out the window, no doubt seeing what I did. Luna stood and opened the door, peeking out into the hallway. A few other students from neighboring compartments are up as well, a collective look of confusion on all of our faces. I stood next to Luna, looking up and down the aisle. 

Without meaning to, I made eye contact with that blonde boy from earlier, who had an absolute look of terror on his face. I sucked my lips between my teeth to keep the smile from erupting on my face. He looked away first, ducking back into his compartment. 

The train rocked back and forth aggressively, knocking Luna and I’s arms together. It came to a complete stop, slamming the two of us into the doorframe. After we recollected ourselves, we sat back down. The door slid shut by itself, a bit ominous.

“What’s happening?” I asked. I could pretty safely assume that this wasn’t a normal thing to happen on the Hogwarts Express, so I looked to Ginny for an answer. 

She shrugged and shook her head, her mouth in a confused frown. 

“We could’ve broken down,” Luna said, and I couldn't help but attribute her suggestion to her Ravenclaw traits. Might be a bit stereotypical, but it’s the most comforting answer I'd heard yet. The lights cut out as soon as she finishes her sentence, throwing us into the pitch-black of the compartment. Someone in a neighboring compartment screams, and I rolled my eyes. A second later, the lights flickered back on, and I breathed out a sigh of relief. 

I didn't even get the chance to breathe again before the lights go out systematically down the train car, compartment by compartment. We’re in the pitch-black again, that girl from before screaming out once more. 

“God, shut up,” I muttered under my breath, and Ginny chuckled. 

Clouds enveloped the train, covering our view of outside. The soft gray from the clouds reflected back into the train, though it didn't offer much light. The train shuddered again, the door sliding open and back shut within a second. It could’ve just been my brain tricking my body into being colder because of the power outage and the weather, but a sudden chill ran down my spine.

Without thinking, I crossed the compartment to sit between Ginny and Luna, the three of us snuggling together. My heart was beating fast against my ribs, and our breath was coming out in visible puffs. 

What a fun school orientation activity.

“Dementors,” Ginny breathed out, suddenly realizing. My eyes widened and I heard Luna gasp beside me. Our eyes darted out to the aisle, where a dark, wispy form was floating down the hallway. I squeezed my eyes shut, and, if it’s possible, my heart pounded even harder. My hands found Ginny and Luna’s, and I grabbed them so tight, I’m sure my knuckles went white. 

“It’s passed,” Ginny whispered, and I opened my eyes to see the empty aisleway.

“Look!” Luna said, causing my head to turn. She’s looking out the window, at a faint light a few cars ahead of us. The train had stopped on a curve, allowing us to see a white light originating from inside one of the compartments. I squinted, just barely making out a dark form being pushed away from the train by the light. 

Once the light died, the train’s power came back on, illuminating the car. Luna stood again and leaned out into the aisle, followed by Ginny and I. Students were looking around at one another, confusion still etched on their faces. The train started to move once again, slowly picking up speed. We closed the door and sat back on the benches, me across from Ginny and Luna like before. 

The rain didn't let up the rest of the way to Hogwarts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again!!! I'm so happy people are actually reading this lmao :)) I'm planning on updating at least twice a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. I'm really swamped with school work :/ Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Malfoy makes an appearance lolol


	4. chapter three

The train pulled into a station outside of Hogwarts, but I could see the towering outline of the castle against the rainclouds. Small lights lit up windows, giving the castle a both eerie and welcoming aura. I followed Luna and Ginny out of the train car, eventually splitting with them as they joined the returning students. I was told to stay put on the platform until all first-years and transfers were accounted for, and then we would make our way to Hogwarts. 

“Follow me!” a large, bearded man called, catching the attention of those of us still on the platform. I fell back a bit, walking with other students who looked old enough to be transfers. Hogwarts only took transfers up to third-years, their reasoning being their specific sequential classes. When my parents had mentioned that to me earlier this summer, it made me nervous. I essentially had skipped out on two full years of introductory classes, missing many of the fundamentals that Hogwarts felt was necessary. 

The group of students shuffled towards a dock where small boats were waiting, and followed the bearded man’s instructions. I stepped into a boat with three others, and it automatically started moving towards the castle. It was an intimidating silhouette, the tall spires reaching high into the sky. The boy sitting next to me was holding the lantern, and he sat it down between us. 

“My name’s Jack, you?” he asked, holding out his hand. His voice caused me to break my gaze, and I turned my head, looking over at him. 

“Olive,” I answered, shaking his hand. He was cute, and by the looks of it, about my age. His robes were solid black, indicating he hadn’t been sorted yet.

“Are you also a transfer? No offense, but you look too old to be a first year,” he said, his eyes darting toward the small first-year sitting in front of us in the boat. 

“Yup, third year,” I said, tucking my hands under my thighs. There was a small draft on the lake, the wind biting at my face.

“Same here, but I went to Durmstrang for my first two. A bit too dark for my taste. I’m assuming Beauxbatons?” he cocked his right eyebrow, his brown eyes gleaming in the light the lantern gave off.

“Oh, no. Muggle school for me,” I shrugged in a “oh-well” way, receiving a small chuckle from him. 

“I should’ve guessed, you’re too pretty for Beauxbatons,” he complimented, causing the first-year in front of us to mimic a gag. 

“Nice one,” I rolled my eyes, looking back up to Hogwarts. In the small time I spent talking to Jack, we had gotten incredibly closer to the entrance, so much so that I could see the other dock. Up ahead, I could see the large man clambering out of his individual boat, his sheer size making the boat look miniscule. 

The rest of the boats followed suit, taking the students to the docks. Jack picked up the lantern, stepping out of the boat before offering me a hand. I shot him a look, holding eye contact as I stepped up and out of the boat without his assistance. His hand hovered in the air, but his head was turned towards me as he watched me stop a few feet down the dock. I looked towards the first-year, who had grabbed Jack’s hand and used it to steady himself as he stepped onto the dock. I snickered, watching Jack drop the first-year’s hand almost immediately, causing the first-year to laugh as well. 

I turned around to face the entrance, drawing my robes tight across my body. The large man was now accompanied by an older woman, a tall hat sat on her head and glasses perched at the end of her nose.

“First-years, please follow me. Transfers, please follow Hagrid,” she gestured to the man beside her, who offered a small wave. He reminded me of a large teddy bear, which made me curious as to what his role was during the school year. The group of students began to break up, and I weaved my way through the first-years to stand alongside Hagrid. 

Once both Hagrid and the older woman took another headcount, we walked towards the gates, stopping to watch them swing open. I wondered if they had ever lost a student on the way from the train to the gates.

“Independent, huh?” I heard Jack’s voice beside me, a small smirk twitching on his lips. He had lost the lantern, his hands shoved into his pockets instead. His robes were pushed aside, his white button-up exposed.

“Perceptive, huh?” I retorted, my words slightly sarcastic. My focus was on Hagrid, who was ahead of us as we walked up the cobblestone path. Jack and I didn’t say anything more the rest of the walk, not wanting to get into trouble within our first ten minutes of being on school grounds. 

The first-years split off once we entered Hogwarts, heading down a hallway. Hagrid told the small group of transfers to stay put, we would get sorted following the first-years. It was a bit of an awkward wait, the ten transfer students fiddling with their robes, hands, anything they could.

The older woman returned about half an hour later, telling us to follow her and watch the rest of the sorting of the first-years. We followed silently, our footsteps echoing off the empty halls. Jack walked beside me, our elbows bumping every so often. When we reached the Great Hall, the doors were already open, allowing us to enter from the back. A few students turned to look at us, but most were paying attention to the sorting straight ahead. 

“Gryffindor!” I heard someone yell, and a hat was taken off a first-year’s head. The table on the far left erupted in yelling and whooping, welcoming the small first-year to their house. The older woman calls another name, the student slinking up to the stool and sitting before the hat is placed on their head. 

Even though I was on the other side of the Great Hall, I could see the hat contorting, bending forward as if it was thinking. 

“Slytherin!” it suddenly yelled out, the end of the hat shooting straight up. My stomach flipped involuntarily, my eyes following the student as she walked to the table second from the right, welcomed by similar yelling and whooping the Gryffindor table gave the other student. I saw a flash of blonde hair, but it was soon covered by a few students standing.

The rest of the first-years were called and sorted, leaving just us transfers in the back.

“Benson, Adelaine!” the older woman called, reading off a sheet of parchment. Now, nearly every student turned and looked at the ten of us. Hagrid had left to join the professors at the front of the Great Hall. 

A brunette wove her way through the group, walking down the direct middle of the hall, her head ducked low. In a few seconds, she was sitting on the stool, the hat on her head. 

“Ravenclaw!” it said after a few moments, and Adelaine slipped off the stool to join her house. The rest of the names were called, until it was just Jack and I. 

“Simmons, Jack!”

He glanced over at me, waggling his eyebrows before he strutted towards the stool. He was a bit cocky, but I think it suited him. I took a deep breath, my stomach erupting in a few nervous butterflies. I watched him sit, his hands resting on his knees. 

The sorting hat barely sat on his head before he called out Jack’s house.

“Slytherin!” 

The Slytherin table erupted in yelling once again, keeping the same energy they had for the first-years. Jack smirked and sat down with them, somewhere between the first-years and the returning students. 

“Wilkinson, Olive!”

I raised my head, pursing my lips and pushing my shoulders back. I walked down the hall, my eyes never leaving the stool. It felt like years, but once I finally reached it, I gathered my robes and sat down, my feet planted firmly on the floor. My hands came to my sides, gripping the stool tightly. The older woman sat the hat on my head, before stepping away a couple feet.

“Hmm,” it hummed, and I could feel it moving on my head. It didn’t say anything more, and it sat in silence for a few seconds. 

“Slytherin!” the hat called out, and my stomach dropped through my ass. What.

I, honest to God, did not expect to be sorted into Slytherin. My aunt had told me to expect Ravenclaw, as my mother and I shared many characteristics, and frankly, I thought there would be some sort of hereditary aspect to this. Case in point, Ginny’s family.

I felt the hat being lifted off my head, and I could hear the Slytherin table clapping and yelling once more. I sucked in a deep breath, my fingers peeling away from the stool as I stood. Walking over to the Slytherin table, I slipped in next to Jack, who had scooted over to make room for me. 

My mind was still racing, trying to make sense of the hat’s decision as Professor Dumbledore made his speech addressing the new school year. 

“And now, please enjoy the feast!” he said, and a smattering of food appeared on the tables. Students around me immediately dug in, the first-years’ eyes widening in awe.

“So, we’re Slytherins,” Jack nudged my arm, bringing me out of my thoughts. I blinked before looking up at him, where he was beaming down at me.

“I guess we are,” I responded, trying to convince myself it was true. I gave him a small smile before reaching for the tongs for the roast chicken and helping myself to a few slices. My eyes travelled down the table, raising to see that blonde hair yet again. He was sitting a few students down from me, but was fully engrossed in a conversation with another boy. I set the tongs back down, Jack immediately taking them right after. 

The blonde’s eyes flickered to meet mine, holding my gaze for a second before returning to his friend. I glanced down at the bowl of carrots Jack was offering me, taking a few and setting them on my plate. 

“So, Durmstrang? You said it was, uh, dark?” I asked him once we had filled up our plates with all sorts of different foods. I stabbed a roasted carrot with my fork, popping it in my mouth. Jack swallowed the bite of roast beef he had just taken, nodding as he did so. 

“Yeah, it’s kind of an asshole of a school,” he chuckled, shrugging. “They don’t accept Muggle-borns, and we learned way more about the Dark Arts than any other subject. My parents ended up wanting to move me.”

I nodded, taking in his words. I knew my father was a pureblood, but I never knew about the emphasis on the Dark Arts. 

“Parents didn’t want me to turn into a Death-Eater,” Jack leaned down and whispers into my ear, his lips just barely brushing. 

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head playfully. Jack and I talked throughout the rest of the feast, and I met a few other Slytherins sitting near us. 

Once the feast was done, the plates disappeared and the wood of the table glistened under the candles floating above. As the Slytherins were gathering themselves, I glanced up, looking at the constellations peppering the sky above. 

“New students, form a line and follow me!” an older student calls, and I followed Jack out of the Great Hall. The student introduces himself as a prefect and we scuttled behind him as he lead us to the Slytherin common room. Descending the stone steps, we eventually ended up on the lowest level, clustering around a door. 

“The current password is ‘pureblood’, don’t forget it,” the prefect shoots the first-years a warning look. He said the password again, and the door swung open, revealing a dark, green-hued room. 

Allowing the first-years to enter first, Jack and I followed behind. My eyes darted around the room, taking in everything. The fireplace is large and elaborate, a crackling fire both warming and illuminating the room. Dark green couches are spread around the fire, a central coffee table showing off a small collection of skulls. A circular table sat in the back, paired with chairs made of dark wood. The ceilings were high, making the room a bit more bearable for claustrophobics. A few expensive-looking black leather chairs are clustered near the windows, looking out into what looked like water. 

The prefect directed the boys to the boys’ dormitory wing, and repeated for the girls. Jack decided to head up to his dormitory to meet his roommates and I waved goodbye before looking around the common room once more. The large paintings of former Slytherins were intimidating, staring down. A chandelier that looked like it weighed a hundred tons was hanging over the fireplace, but the candles barely gave off any light. The common room was essentially empty, a few older students had gathered around the fire as they discussed their summer. 

I walked over to the window, looking out into the water. It must’ve been the lake that we boated across earlier, but the elevation of the common room was giving a close look at what lived in the depths. A school of odd-looking fish swam past, disappearing into the dark abyss of the water. 

The door swung open and a group of boys sauntered into the common room, the room immediately filled with their voices. I turned, leaning up against the small table sat by the window. The blonde was in the center, surrounded by three others. He didn't look over as the group headed towards the boys’ dormitories, their laughter and yelling eventually drifting away. 

I figured it was time to meet my roommates, so I headed down the hallway to my dormitory. Once I entered, there was only one other girl inside, who turned when she heard me come in. 

“You must be the new girl,” she sneered, and I narrowed my eyes slightly. 

“Olive,” I introduced myself, my mouth set in a firm line. I was going to try and be friendly, but with her attitude, I decided to refrain. 

“Pansy,” she responded, before turning back to her trunk. I looked around the room until I found my trunk, which was placed neatly at the end of what I assumed was my bed. I was across the room from Pansy, another bed between us that was straight across from the door. Things filled the tops of the nightstand and dresser, and the sheets were pulled back, so I assumed the other girl had already unpacked. 

I shrugged off my robes, tossing them on my bed before reaching to grab the new, folded robes that were sitting on my trunk. Holding one robe up, it fell undone and exposed the Slytherin crest. I bit my lip, still wondering why I was placed in this house. Hell, I would’ve been fine with literally any other house. Sighing, I fold them again, setting the other two robes on my bedspread.

Kneeling down, I started to unpack my trunk. A small dresser sat on one side of my bed, a nightstand on the other. The bed frame was accompanied by an intense canopy, a large slab of dark wood hovering over my bed. After storing my clothes into the dresser, I started to adorn my nightstand with a few trinkets. I propped a picture frame of my parents and I on vacation a few years ago on the nightstand, placing down another of some of my friends from home. 

Once my trunk was pretty much empty, I stood, closing it. Pansy had left, leaving me alone in the room. Glancing over at the clock on my nightstand, I noticed it was already almost ten, and classes started the next morning at nine. Deciding to get a good night’s rest, I changed into my pajamas. I walked to the bathroom and washed my face and brushed my teeth before returning to my bed. Pansy still wasn’t back, and I had yet to meet the other girl. 

I climbed into bed, pulling the sheets up to my chin. The moonlight filled the window, casting a bright light in the middle of the room. My hand came up to twirl my olive branch necklace between my fingers, finally giving me a sense of security that I had been craving all day. 

I slipped into unconsciousness, thoughts of classes and the upcoming term filling my head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!!! hope you enjoy :)


	5. chapter four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, thank you all for 1000 hits!!! I can’t even believe that happened lmao
> 
> This week has been so stressful so it was so nice to sit down and write this on Friday night. I have my apples and almond butter, a candle burning and it’s raining outside so hella perfect writing environment. I hope you guys have a nice weekend!!

I woke up earlier than I expected, laying on my back and staring up at the wood slab above me. Rolling my head to my right, I saw the other roommate still sleeping, as well as Pansy. I looked over to my left at my clock, which read seven o’clock. Since classes didn’t start for another couple hours, I decided to get a head start on the day. Pulling the sheets off my body, I swung my legs out of bed and stood up, trying to be as quiet as possible. Grabbing a pair of black pants and a cream cable-knit sweater from my dresser, I tiptoed out of the room into the bathroom.

It didn’t seem like many others were awake, the hallway of the girl’s wing desolate and quiet. When I came back into the room, Pansy and the other girl were still asleep. I tossed my pajamas on my bed before grabbing one of the new Slytherin robes. After shrugging them on, I picked up my schoolbag, securing one strap over my shoulder. I took another glance at the girls as I headed toward the door. Pansy had started snoring quite loudly, her mouth wide open and one arm dangling off her bed. Her face was, uh, a bit smushed, like a pug. 

I closed the door behind me, letting go of the handle gently and started walking towards the common room. My hands fidgeted with the ends of the robe sleeves, twirling the hemmed edges around my fingers. The fire was still crackling in the common room, which had only one other student in it. They were laid out on one of the couches, reading a book. I shot them a quick smile as I passed, to which they didn’t return. I rolled my eyes, scoffing to myself. As of now, the only other Slytherins I had met had major attitude problems. Pansy, that guy, the blonde.

I had decided that it would be a good time to send a letter to my aunt, giving her the day to respond. Except I had no idea where the owlery was. I sighed, already frustrated with this morning. I slung the other strap of my bag over my other shoulder so it sat equally on my back. Clasping the straps in my hands, I started towards the Great Hall, hoping I would come across someone on the way.

My footsteps echoed off the dungeon walls, bouncing all around me. I climbed the stone stairs, arriving on the main floor of Hogwarts. Trying to remember where the Great Hall was, I came to a stop at the top of the stairs, looking down a few hallways. I heard loud, rushed footsteps coming down the hallway to my right, almost as if someone was running. I took a small step backwards and squinted, trying to see who it was. 

Two boys were running down the hallway together, one slightly behind the other. They were identical, I had to take a double look to make sure I wasn’t just hallucinating. I noticed they also had red hair, so I assumed they must’ve been Ginny’s brothers. She had warned me about the twins, after all. They were laughing, glancing behind them a couple times. As they neared, I walked further into the hallway, trying to catch their attention. They slowed to a halt, panting slightly. One of them put his hands on his hips, his wand jutting out away from him. 

“Uh, could one of you tell me where the owlery is?” I asked, looking back and forth between them. 

“What? No proper introduction?” the one on the right said, his eyes flicking down to my robes before back up. He had a glint of humor in his eye, though, so I hoped he was just teasing.

I blushed, a bit embarrassed. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I’m Olive, I’m new. Are you Ginny’s brothers?” I asked, wringing my hands around my bag’s straps. 

“We are,” the left one nodded, causing me to look at him. “I’m Ron, he’s Percy.”

“No, I’m Fred, you’re George,” the other one said, scoffing.

“No, I’m George, you’re Fred.” he emphasized the “I’m.”

Needless to say, I was confused. I glanced back and forth between them, my expression muddled. 

“Just kidding, I’m Fred,” the right one said.

“And I’m George,” the other one finished.

“The owlery is on the West Tower, just take this hallway down,” Fred pointed towards the hallway to my left with his wand.

“And take a left when you reach the quad, and then a right,” George finished Fred’s sentence once more. 

“Oi, Weasley! Both of you!” I heard a man yelling from down the hallway that Fred and George came from. They both turned, before looking at each other and then to me. 

“Nice to meet you! We set up some first-day pranks, don’t wanna get caught,” Fred explained and before I could thank them, they took off running down a hallway. After a few moments, the man ran by me, shooting me a glare as he passed. 

I chuckled, I guess Ginny was right about them being troublemakers.

“Straight, and then a left, and then a right,” I muttered to myself as I started walking down the hallway Fred directed me towards.

I found the owlery much faster than I was expecting, climbing the stairs. It was a nice morning, the temperature warm and the sun shining bright. Once inside, I found Athena, who was sleeping on a perch. I set down my bag on a hopefully clean stone bench, rummaging through it to find a piece of parchment and a quill.

“”Dear Aunt Beth,

I made it! I’m not sure if you heard, but the train ran into a problem on the way - some dementors (my friend told me what they were) attacked, but we were totally fine. Honestly, I don’t even know what happened. 

I got sorted into Slytherin. I only really know another transfer student (his name is Jack, he went to Durmstrang) and my roommates, although I guess I haven’t met one of them officially. There’s another boy, who I only talked to on the train, but I keep seeing him. 

Anyways, I hope everything at home is well. I miss you lots and I can’t wait until I can come home.

Love,  
Olive””

I read over the letter, stowing my quill back in my bag. Rolling up the sheet of parchment tightly, I called Athena over and tied it securely to her leg. Giving her a treat I had in my bag and a headscratch, I sent her on her way. I watched her fly out the window until she was a speck in the sky.

Slinging my bag over my shoulders, I headed to the Great Hall for some breakfast before my first class. There were more students and professors milling around the grounds now, making the campus feel more alive and energetic. 

The doors to the Great Hall were open when I arrived, a large number of students already inside. I walked in, my eyes scanning up and down the Slytherin table until I saw Jack, who was sitting by himself. He was gnawing on a strip of bacon as he read the daily newspaper, one elbow propped on the table. 

“Good morning,” I said, sitting down on the bench beside him.

He looked over, setting the newspaper down. “Hey, Olive. Ready for classes?”

“Yeah,” I smiled, pushing down the nervous feeling in my stomach. I reached down into my bag, pulling out my schedule and sliding it across the table for him to look at. He picked it up, finishing his bacon as his eyes scanned over my classes.

“It looks like we have Potions, Charms, and Magical Creatures together,” he said, his eyes still darting around the paper. “Oh, and Dark Arts.”

“Well, that makes me feel better,” I laughed, taking my schedule back when he handed it to me. “You know, you might have to tutor me on some of the basics. Get me up to speed.”

“You would like that, wouldn’t you?” he snickered, waggling his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. “Shut up.”

“Simmons, right?” I heard a voice say from across us, causing me to look over. It was the blonde boy from the train, flanked by two other boys. I recognized one from the train, but the other I didn’t know.

“Yeah,” Jack nodded, wiping his hands on his pants. “I didn’t catch yours.”

“Malfoy. Draco Malfoy,” he said, his gaze hard and intent on Jack. 

I snickered, but I tried to cover it with a cough.

I felt Jack’s elbow nudge me, and I looked over at him, following his gaze to Malfoy. He was looking at me with narrowed eyes, and I could tell there was something on the tip of his tongue.

“Olive Wilkinson,” I introduced myself before he had the chance to say anything. 

“Nice to meet you, I’m Crabbe,” the boy on his right, the one from the train, said. Malfoy elbowed him in the side, glaring at him before staring back down at Jack and I.

“You as well,” I said with a smile, hoping to tick off Malfoy just a bit. Crabbe smiled back, looking content with himself. Malfoy’s stern glare bore down on me once more before he turned, shoving between the two boys and heading further down the table. They followed him, shuffling awkwardly a few feet behind.

“He seems like a nice guy,” Jack commented, looking down the table at them before turning back to me.

“Totally,” I said sarcastically, my eyes still on Malfoy. I reached over to grab a red apple, bringing it to my lips and taking a bite. Malfoy glanced over, his eyes still as stern as before. He grabbed a green apple, tossing it upwards a few inches before catching it and taking a bite. He never broke eye contact.

\---

My first class was Potions, which was back near the Slytherin common room. Jack and I walked together, talking about classes and Quidditch.

“I was the Seeker for Durmstrang before I left, I was hoping to try out here as well,” Jack said.

“Honestly, I don’t know much about quidditch, but that sounds impressive,” I chuckled. “I mean, you were like twelve, right?” 

Jack nodded, shoving his hands into his pant pockets. “Yeah, I’m a bit old for my year.”

We were nearing the stairs leading to the dungeon, class was supposed to start in eight minutes. 

“Well, I think you should try out. What’s the worst that can happen?” I suggest, skipping down the steps. Jack was right alongside me, his longer legs skipping two stairs at a time and making me nervous that he would accidentally trip. 

The door to the potions classroom was propped open, a few students already inside. Jack let me through the door first, standing behind me as I scanned the room, looking for a good spot to sit. I shivered, the temperature of the room much colder than I expected it to be.

“How about over here?” Jack gestured to a table off to the left, two empty seats sitting next to one another. I nodded, following him over. Just as I was sitting down, I spotted blonde hair entering through the door. I groaned, flopping down into the chair. Jack looked over before twisting his head back to the right.

Him and Malfoy must’ve made eye contact, because five seconds later, Malfoy and Crabbe were sitting at the table directly behind us. I tugged my robes across my body, crossing my arms and leaning back in my chair. Jack was busy with his textbook, so I glanced around the classroom. Numerous jars of what looked like animals lined the shelves, gently floating in the water. I cringed, unsettled by the display.

“Welcome to your third year of Potions,” the professor started, and my eyes snapped to the front of the class. He had black hair and a pale face, his features sharp. His voice was monotonous, but also sounded like he thoroughly planned his words before he spoke. “I expect you all brought your required textbook.”

A shuffling was heard throughout the classroom as students pulled out their textbooks and set them on their desk, and I did the same. 

“We’ll start today with a simple review of one of last year’s potions, I expect you will remember how to do so,” he continued, slowly walking around the classrooms. He glanced from student to student, but his eyes laid longer on me. I stared back with the same intensity, waiting until he broke eye contact first. He moved past Jack and I, circling around to the next row of tables.

“A simple swelling solution should be an easy review,” the professor said, walking slowly back to the front of class. I bit my lip, completely lost. I prayed that Jack had some sort of experience with potions. 

“Miss Wilkinson,” the professor said, causing me to look up from where I was staring at the table. 

“Yes, sir?” I cleared my throat, sitting up straighter in the chair. Jack looked up from his textbook, which he was cradling in his arms. 

“What are the three ingredients in the swelling solution?” he asked, walking toward our table. I could feel the others in the classroom staring at me, which I tried to brush off.

“Uh, I’m not sure, sir,” I said honestly, holding eye contact. Malfoy and Crabbe snickered behind me, and I could feel heat rushing to my cheeks. Even though the room was freezing, I felt like I was being suffocated in my sweater.

“I’m a transfer, sir. I was in a Muggle school before this year,” I explained further, hoping the professor would cut me some slack. It was probably a long shot.

“And you thought it would be best to register for a third-year potions class with no experience?” 

I knew he was right, so I was at a loss for words. I bit down on my bottom lip again, but I tried to keep myself together under the professor’s intense stare.

The rest of the class had started quietly laughing with Malfoy, murmurs filling the classroom.

“Quiet,” the professor ordered, causing the laughs to cease immediately. 

“I can tutor her, sir,” Jack interjected, pulling the professor’s attention towards him.

“That won’t be necessary, I’ll find a proper fit,” the professor answered, looking at me once more before turning and facing the rest of the class.

“Well, why aren’t any of you gathering the supplies for the swelling solution?” he drawled, causing an immediate reaction from the class. Students stood and retrieved ingredients and cauldrons from the supply closet at the back of the classroom.

“You two, work with Goyle and Bulstrode for today,” the professor gestured towards the two students sitting in front of Jack and I. I thanked God that he hadn’t placed us with Malfoy and Crabbe. 

The rest of Potions went as well as it could, the four of us successfully creating the potion. Once all students had cleaned up, the professor let us go for the day. Jack and I left together, walking towards Charms.

“You do know our potions professor is our head of house right? Professor Snape?” Jack asked as we climbed the stairs.

“Better get on his good side, then,” I joked, causing Jack to chuckle. I looked behind us when I heard Malfoy’s voice, talking with Crabbe and Goyle, as well as Pansy. Of course those two are friends. 

“Please tell me we don’t have Charms with them,” I groaned, picking up my pace a bit. 

“Looks like we do,” Jack answered, as they were tailing us up the stairs to the South tower. They followed us into the Charms classroom, sitting in the back row.

Charms went similarly to Potions, mostly consisting of me being completely and utterly confused. However, Professor Flitwick had offered private blast-review sessions with me, which I accepted graciously. Much nicer than Snape.

Once Charms was over, lunch was waiting for us at the Great Hall. It was becoming routine, Jack and I walking together. We ate lunch, Jack telling me as much as he could about Potions.

“I really wish I could tutor you for Potions,” Jack frowned, setting down his soup. “It’s easier, we’re both in the same house, class, everything.” He huffed, obviously frustrated with Snape’s decision.

“Maybe we could talk to him about it next class,” I offered, shrugging. I remembered my aunt’s promise for passing Potions, but that was looking like an impossibility now. I sighed, finally accepting the overwhelming feeling that I had been trying to suppress all day. 

“You okay?” Jack asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin. 

I nodded, blinking hard a couple times. 

“What’s that? Morse code for ‘help me’?” Jack teased, mocking my blinking. My mouth twisted into a smile, eventually erupting on my face.

“There’s that smile,” Jack laughed, reaching out and poking my cheeks.

“Wilkinson.”

Malfoy was standing across from the table, his fingers impatiently tapping against the wood. Jack leaned away from me, clearing his throat.

“What,” I sighed, looking up at Malfoy. 

“Snape wants to see you in his office once you’re done with classes for the day. It’s by the potions classroom.”

And with that and a twirl of his robes, he was gone, walking briskly down the aisle way between the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, I’m gonna go pop some melatonin and pass out until tomorrow :) Hope you enjoyed! Please comment about legit anything if you want to, I love talking to people :)


	6. chapter five

I only had two classes after lunch, Muggle Studies and Transfiguration. Like I had expected, Muggle Studies seemed to be an easy pass. Similar to Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall had opened some of her time to me for a review. I didn’t recognize anyone in either of the classes, choosing to sit by a nice Ravenclaw girl in Muggle Studies and a Gryffindor in Transfiguration.

By the time the final bell of the day rung, I was anxious to see what Snape wanted. Professor McGonagall let the class go without a homework assignment, earning a few cheers in response. I walked quickly down to the dungeons, not wanting to keep Snape waiting. He was intimidating, and I was mentally preparing myself for whatever he had to say.

It took a few extra minutes to find his office, and I ended up retracing my steps a couple times when I got lost. When I finally found it, his door was already open and I could hear him talking to someone.

I took a deep breath and walked towards his door, knocking on the wood before I entered. I glanced around his office, which was somewhat similar to the potions classroom. An unnerving amount of jars encapsulating dead animals were organized on shelves, and a fireplace standing tall in the back corner. Still, it was freezing and glum, goosebumps raising on my arms.

Snape’s head looked up, nodding once he saw me. “Come in, Miss Wilkinson.”

I shuffled through the door, looking to the right and finding the person I overhead Snape talking to. Malfoy was standing in the corner, his hands running over a few jars of dead fish. I narrowed my eyes a bit, wondering why he was also here.

“Sit,” Snape ordered, clearing his throat after.

I dropped my schoolbag on the ground next to the chair across from his desk and sat, resting my hands on my knees. Malfoy turned and walked over as well, standing next to the chair.

“What did you want to talk to us about?” I heard him say from above me.

“I would like you to tutor Miss Wilkinson in potions.”

I’m sure Malfoy and I had the same expression on our faces, one of disbelief.

“What?” Malfoy echoed my thoughts. I looked to Snape for an explanation. 

“Mr. Malfoy, you have finished years one and two with some of the highest marks in my potions class. Clearly, Miss Wilkinson needs the help, and I will not have students in my own house failing my class,” Snape’s eyes flicked between Malfoy and I. “It’s up to you two to sort out meeting times.”

I sat back in the chair, accidentally brushing Malfoy’s cold hand. I hadn’t even noticed he was grasping the back of my chair, but he immediately retracted his hand, folding his arms.

“What about Jack, professor? I would much rather work with him,” I asked, desperately trying to get out of this arrangement with Malfoy. I shot Snape a pleading look, hoping it would do something. I heard Malfoy scoff behind me, but I ignored it.

“Mr. Simmons transferred in from Durmstrang, you know that. Hogwarts and Durmstrang have different potions curriculums, so being tutored by Malfoy is the best chance you have in my class,” Snape responded, sitting back in his chair. 

I sighed, giving up. It seemed like Snape wanted me to suffer in his class for some reason, making me want to pass the class even more. If Malfoy was the way to do so, then so be it.

“Okay,” I agreed, standing up. Malfoy took a step to the side, allowing me to bend down and pick up my bag. 

“That’s all,” Snape dismissed us, immediately turning his attention to some papers on his desk. Older students’ work, I assumed. 

I didn’t look at Malfoy as I left Snape’s office, immediately heading toward the common room. I could hear him trailing behind me, but he made no effort to speak to me either. Reaching the common room door, I muttered the password and it swung open, allowing me in. I didn’t check behind me, deciding to let the door fall shut in Malfoy’s face if he was still behind me.

I guess I understood Snape’s reasoning for choosing the tutor, but did it really have to be Malfoy? I’m sure there were other students with high marks that he could’ve chosen from. I stomped through the common room, heading towards the girl’s wing. Swinging the bedroom door open, I saw that Pansy was out, but the other girl was there.

“Oh, hi! I’m Katie,” she introduced herself, and I plastered a smile on my face. My heart was still pounding with the anger Snape filled me with, but she seemed a lot nicer than Pansy.

“I’m Olive. It’s so good to finally meet you,” I responded, crossing the room and tossing my schoolbag on my bed. 

“I think you were in my Muggle Studies class, did you sit in the back row?” she asked, tilting her head as she paused from folding her robes.

I nodded, placing her face as well. “I’m sorry I didn’t say hi, I didn’t know who you were,” I apologized, but she brushed it off with a wave of her hand.

“No worries! Now we can sit next to each other, though,” she said, placing her folded robes in a drawer in her dresser.

We talked for a bit more, getting to know one another before I excused myself to go flip through my potions textbook. I left my robes on my bed, grabbing my bag and heading to the common room. Collapsing in one of the black leather couches by the fire, I pulled out the textbook and skimmed through the first couple chapters. I took notes here and there, things that I thought were important.

I was so engrossed in the subject that I hadn’t noticed Jack’s presence until he slapped the back of the couch. I jumped, the textbook falling closed in my lap as I sat up. He laughed, leaning forward onto the couch.

“I was heading for dinner, you want to come with?” he asked, drumming his fingers on the leather.

“Sure, just a second,” I swung my legs off the couch, standing and slipping my textbook back into my bag. Slinging it onto my right shoulder, I followed Jack out of the common room.

“What a good little student, studying potions on her first day,” Jack teased, causing me to scoff.

“Snape assigned Malfoy as my tutor, can you believe it? I’m just trying to learn as much as I can on my own so I don’t have to spend an extra minute with him,” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.

“What? That’s annoying, I totally could’ve done it,” Jack agreed, raising an eyebrow. We walked side by side down the hallway, telling each other about our afternoon. He told me about a girl who had tripped in front of the entire class in one of his courses, causing nearly every Slytherin in the room to laugh.

The Great Hall was bustling with students when we walked in, the air abuzz with talking and laughter. Jack and I crossed over to the Slytherin table, sitting halfway down the table. I could see Malfoy with Crabbe and Goyle, his back to Jack and I. Dinner was roasted chicken with sides, and I filled my plate, hungry after not eating much for lunch.

“You know, I reckon that Snape won’t even know if you and Malfoy never studied together,” Jack suggested, pushing his vegetables around his plate.

I sighed, shrugging. “I just don’t want to chance anything, it seems like I already got off on the wrong foot with him.”

“Fair,” he responded, pushing his fork through a roasted carrot. He stacked a few more on before eating. I looked over my shoulder at Malfoy, who was still talking to his friends. 

“Hey, I was thinking about flying around a bit after dinner. Take advantage of this fall weather, you know?” Jack said, and I turned back around, giving him my full attention. “Do you want to come with?”

“Yeah, that sounds fun,” I smiled, cutting the rest of my chicken into bite-sized pieces. Jack and I finished dinner within a few minutes, and headed back to the common room. We split off once we were inside, planning to meet back in five.

The room was empty when I entered, and I assumed the girls were still at dinner. I dropped my bag by my bed, and grabbed a light jacket out of my dresser. Almost skipping back down to the common room, I was met by Jack waiting for me on one of the couches. He had his broom leaning up against the arm of the couch, and he had changed into jeans and a heavy sweater.

Once he saw me, he smiled and stood up, grabbing his broom. “I asked around earlier, I think I can use the field unless a team has practice.”

I followed him out of the common room and outside to the Quidditch field. The leaves were beginning to change, a gentle chill in the air. By the position of the sun, I guessed we had about another hour until sundown.

“Did you fly before you were at Durmstrang?” I asked, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jacket. Jack’s legs were longer than mine, requiring me to almost jog to keep up with him.

“Yeah, my father taught me when I was younger. Made Durmstrang’s team last year,” Jack said, looking proud of himself. I chuckled, looking down at my feet which were kicking fallen leaves out of the way.

“Do you know when the Slytherin tryouts are?” I kept the conversation going, looking over at him.

“I overhead Flint saying they were day after tomorrow,” he answered, coming to a stop. I looked up, seeing the massive Quidditch goals and realized we were already at the field. I shuffled from foot to foot, not totally sure what to do.

“Gotta get back into it,” Jack winked, throwing one leg over his broom and pushing off. He hovered a few feet above the ground, looking down at me. He saluted me jokingly, before leaning to the left and zooming off into the sky. I put a hand over my eyes, squinting to see where he went. The sun’s rays were glinting off the posts, long shadows from the surrounding stands looming over the field. 

Jack flew up and down the field, sometimes throwing in little tricks. I sat on the grass, tucking my legs into a criss-cross position and playing with blades of grass between my fingers.

“Hey!” I heard someone call from behind me and I twisted my torso, looking over my shoulder. A small group of students holding brooms were walking toward me, their robes fluttering in the breeze. I stood, brushing any grass off my pants. Once they were closer, I realized it was Malfoy and two others, all carrying identical brooms. 

“We’re practicing, get out,” Malfoy snapped, looking me up and down. I glared at him before I turned, trying to find Jack in the sky. He was already on his way back, touching down no more than a few moments later.

“Hey, Pucey. Flint,” Jack nodded towards the boys I didn’t recognize as he leaned on his broom. “Malfoy.”

“Trying out this year, Simmons?” Malfoy sneered, eyeing Jack’s broom. It didn’t seem as nice as Malfoy’s and the others, but I also didn’t know much about brooms. 

“I am, hope to see you there,” Jack responded, smirking. “Heard the Seeker position was open.”

Malfoy’s eyebrows raised just slightly before furrowing together, glaring at Jack. “I’m not sure who you heard that from, but it’s not true.” Malfoy gave a hard stare to Flint, who shrugged.

“Malfoy, sometimes you cost us the game because you get distracted by Potter,” Flint said honestly, but I could tell he was purposefully getting under Malfoy’s skin. Malfoy’s nose scrunched in anger, his chest heaving a bit more rapidly.

“My father bought you that broom, you should have more respect. Just wait until he hears what you just said,” he spat before he quickly mounted his broom and pushed off into the sky. He was gone in a second, and I didn’t care to see where.

“Tryouts are at four on Wednesday,” Flint directed at Jack, who nodded. Flint and Pucey followed Malfoy, leaving Jack and I alone on the grass once more.

“Well, makes me feel a bit better that Malfoy has to buy his way into being Seeker,” Jack laughed, running a hand through his wind-blown hair. He was still breathing heavily, his breaths coming out in barely visible puffs. “He’s probably not that good then.”

“I think you have a chance,” I said truthfully. Jack was nimble and fast on the broom, sometimes so quick that I couldn’t even see him. Jack twisted the handle of his broom around his hand, looking up at the three who were flying around.

“Thanks, Olive,” he responded, looking back down at me and reaching out to push my shoulder playfully.

“If you make it, I promise I’ll go to every game,” I said, slowly starting to walk backwards toward Hogwarts. Jack smiled lightheartedly, jogging to catch up with me. Before I turned, though, I looked up, seeing Malfoy hovering on his broom, looking down at us. 

\---

The next morning, I was faced with another day of entirely new classes. First up, however, was breakfast. I yawned, rolling over in bed to lie on my stomach. Katie was stirring as well, but Pansy was still knocked out. I shoved my face into my pillow, catching a few more minutes of shut-eye before slipping out of bed. Fall was definitely settling in, the dormitory seemed to be getting colder each day. I grabbed a sweater out of my dresser, pulling it on over my pajamas. 

I whispered a quiet “good morning” to Katie as I passed her bed on the way to the bathroom, offering a small wave. She waved back before pulling the blankets over her head. When I returned, she was up, ruffling through her dresser. 

“I swear, I never have anything to wear,” she whisper-yelled, looking over at me with a frustrated look. I snickered quietly, shrugging. When she pulled out a green and white striped sweater and held it up, I nodded. 

“That’s cute,” I said and she smiled, wrapping it around her arm as she left the dormitory. I dressed quickly, throwing a dark grey V-neck jumper on over a white button-up. Pulling my robes up my arms, I grabbed my bag and left the room, finally escaping Pansy’s snoring. I headed to the Great Hall by myself, waving hello to a few other students I recognized from yesterday’s classes. 

Once I reached the Great Hall, I sat down near the end of the Slytherin table. I chose a muffin and began to peel the paper off before I was interrupted by someone calling my name. I turned, seeing Luna waving at me from the Ravenclaw table. I smiled, standing and crossing the space between the two tables to sit with her. 

“How are you doing?” she asked, picking apart a croissant. 

“Pretty good, I’m sad I don’t see you more,” I said, offering her a sympathetic smile. 

“I was really hoping you would be sorted with me,” she said, nibbling on a piece of the ripped croissant. 

“Me too,” I sighed, thinking of my mother. “Most of the Slytherins I’ve met are so unnecessarily mean.”

“Especially Draco,” Luna added, and I nodded.

“Tell me about it,” I scoffed, thinking of the way he told Flint off last night, and when he had laughed at me in potions. Luna giggled, the sound light and airy. 

We caught each other up on more before the bell sounded, warning students of their first class. Waving to one another, we split as she headed further into Hogwarts. My first class was Care of Magical Creatures, which had me scared mostly because of the required textbook. I could feel it moving around in my bag, and I prayed my father’s belt was going to hold it closed. 

I was told to gather around Hagrid’s hut before class started, so I headed outside. I could see other students mingling about as I approached, my eyes catching on Jack talking to a few other Slytherins. I walked up, clutching the straps of my bag in my hands. 

“Hey, good morning, Olive,” Jack greeted, and I replied similarly. I looked around, taking in the other students. I saw Malfoy standing with Crabbe and Goyle, and I rolled my eyes, turning back to Jack. Students’ conversations faded away as Hagrid addressed us all, giving us a quick overview of the class. 

“I’ve got a hippogriff for you all today,” Hagrid said, his rough voice carrying over all the students. “Come, follow me.”

Students shuffled behind him, struggling not only with holding onto our textbooks, but also with clambering over the exposed roots in the ground. I tripped over a root that was taller than I expected, clutching onto Jack’s shoulder to steady myself. I muttered a “sorry,” but he brushed it off and we kept walking. Hagrid turned and held his hands up, telling us to stay back. I looked past him, seeing a large creature that I only could’ve dreamed of before coming to Hogwarts. 

It was odd, half-horse and half-eagle. It’s sharp eyes watched the class as it bent its neck to peck at something on the ground. I was half-listening as Hagrid explained the origin of the hippogriff, also telling us some interesting facts. 

“This here is Buckbeak. You must approach him as so, and only individually,” Hagrid said as he demonstrated the introduction.

Jack had volunteered himself to go first, leaving his things with me. He bowed his head, waiting for a few moments before Buckbeak did the same. Following Jack, a few students had introduced themselves successfully, the rest of us staying a safe distance back. Jack nudged me, urging me to go up. 

“Nope, not today,” I shook my head, crossing my arms and keeping an eye on Buckbeak. 

“Oh, please,” I heard Malfoy groan behind me. He stood, pushing himself between me and Jack, causing me to stumble back a bit. He sauntered up to the hippogriff, his chest pushed high in the air. 

“Not dangerous at all, are you?” Malfoy taunted, closing the space between Buckbeak and him. Buckbeak shook his feathers, his wings unraveling and flapping a couple times. Hagrid said Malfoy’s name under his breath, warning him, but it was too late. I heard the screams around me before I saw Buckbeak rear up on his hind legs, steadying himself with his wings. The sheer height he had on Malfoy was intimidating, and I could tell that Malfoy was scared now. He was frozen, staring up at the hippogriff as it reached out. Malfoy raised an arm in a weak attempt of self-defense, but it was essentially worthless. Buckbeak came back down, slashing at Malfoy’s arm as he did so. 

I could hear the ripping of Malfoy’s robes from where I was, Malfoy hitting the ground seconds later. He rolled around on the ground, clutching at his elbow. I tried so hard to hold back my laughter, but once it escaped, I found myself giggling uncontrollably. Jack joined in, causing me to laugh even harder. When Hagrid looked over at me, I slapped a hand over my mouth, trying to cease any more laughs that threatened to leak out.

“It’s killed me!” Malfoy whimpered a few times, before Hagrid reached down and picked him up. Malfoy went limp in his arms, his arm dangling out of Hagrid’s hold.

“Class dismissed! Simmons, Wilkinson, you two clean up as a punishment for laughing,” Hagrid called as he left with Malfoy still whimpering and whining something about a chicken.

Jack and I groaned, staying in place as the rest of the students filtered out. A couple of the Slytherin boys slapped Jack’s shoulder as they left. 

Readjusting my bag, I looked around the dirt. I wasn’t sure what Hagrid meant, we hadn’t made much of a mess. Buckbeak had busied himself with some more food in a trough, his head shaking out his feathers every once in a while. Jack was walking around as well, looking around for anything someone may have dropped. 

Over where Malfoy hit the ground, I noticed something long and slender. I walked over cautiously, Buckbeak still distracted by his breakfast. Bending down, I realized it was Malfoy’s wand and I picked it up, twirling it around in my fingers. I pocketed it in my robes, walking back to Jack. 

“Find anything?” he asked, his eyes still searching the dirt. I shook my head, biting my lip. Since class had been dismissed early, we had over an hour until our next one. We decided to head back to the common room since the Great Hall was closed until lunch. The rest of the class had dispersed around the grounds, leaving the walk back to the common room completely deserted. I waved a goodbye to Jack as we parted for the boy’s and girl’s wings.

My next class was Defense Against the Dark Arts, which was something I was excited for. Ever since the dementors on the train, I was both intrigued and scared by what else was out there in the wizarding world. 

Pansy and Katie were obviously out, I doubted anything nearly as exciting had happened in their first class. As I set my bag down, I reached into my robes, pulling out Malfoy’s wand. It was slender and sleek, the only protrusions the two raised rings separating the handle from the rest of the wand. When I had gotten my wand with my aunt, the shop owner had rattled off attributes of mine that, frankly, I don’t remember. My fingers ran along the length of Malfoy’s wand, noticing the subtle change from black to brown. 

I placed it back in the pocket of my robe, taking it off before laying down in my bed. I nodded off for a quick nap, waking in time for Defense Against the Dark Arts. 

The class was interesting, the professor seemed like he truly cared about his students. The content was intriguing, making me excited for what was to come. He dismissed class with a simple research assignment on some dark creatures. Jack and I met up with Katie for lunch, and I finished the school day with Astronomy. 

I was walking back to the common room when I noticed Malfoy ahead of me, probably returning from the hospital wing. Suddenly remembering his wand in my bag, I picked up my pace, jogging to catch up with him. 

“Malfoy!” I called, causing him to stop and turn. His right arm was placed in a cloth sling, his hand taped up.

“What is it, Wilkinson,” he snapped, his eyes darting around the hallway, like he was keeping an eye for someone. 

“How’s your arm?” I asked, nodding toward Pomfrey’s work. He scoffed, shaking his head.

“Like I believe you care. If I’m not mistaken, weren’t you laughing with Simmons?” he said, and I raised an eyebrow. I bit my lip, a bit shocked that he noticed while he was rolling around on the ground like a baby. I swung my bag around in front of me, digging around for his wand. 

“You blatantly went against Hagrid’s rules, look where that got you,” I smirked, reaching out and tugging gently on the rip on the sleeve of his robe. “A ripped robe. I’m sure your daddy can afford another?” I taunted, pouting my bottom lip out and tilting my head to the left. I hadn’t expected Malfoy to be extremely rich, but after hearing about the brooms last night, I assumed his father was wealthy.

Malfoy’s face twisted in anger, but I could also sense embarrassment underneath his hard gaze. He slapped my hand away from his robe, glaring at me. 

“What is it,” he gritted through his teeth, reiterating his question from earlier.

“Your wand,” I rolled my eyes, pulling it out of my bag and tossing it to him. To my surprise, he caught it with his non-hurt hand, clutching it tightly. “Dropped it in the midst of getting your robes torn to shreds.”

I hoisted my bag back onto my shoulder, turning and walking toward the common room. I didn’t look back, but I could feel Malfoy’s stare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was a bit longer than my others, hope you like it!!


	7. chapter six

The next day’s classes went by fast. Potions was more of a lecture, Snape talking about the pros and cons of some of the potions we were to make this year. Malfoy sat behind me as usual, but didn’t say a word, which was uncharacteristic of him. Charms went similarly, but Flitwick dismissed class with an essay asking for the background and application of a few spells. 

I waited behind as Jack asked Flitwick a couple questions, moving out of the way when Malfoy and a few other Slytherins filed out of class. They passed without even looking at me, the group hanging onto every word that was coming out of Malfoy’s mouth. Once Jack was done, we walked down to the Great Hall for lunch. Passing by Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, I overheard a snippet of their conversation.

“My father says he’ll take care of Buckbeak,” Malfoy said, looking down at his bandaged arm. “I hope the damn thing gets put to death.”

“At least Malfoy can’t play this season,” Jack leaned down, whispering into my ear. I chuckled, sitting down with him once we got out of Malfoy’s earshot.

“You would’ve stolen Seeker anyways,” I shrugged, grabbing an apple from the bowl on the table. Cleaning it off with my sleeve, I took a bite, chewing as I listened to Jack.

“Are you gonna come watch tryouts?” he asked, and I shook my head.

“I think I need all the time I can get on the Charms essay,” I huffed, expecting a long night of research ahead of me.

“If you need any help, just let me know,” Jack said, shooting me a serious look. “It’s not due ‘til Friday, so you’ve got some time.”

We finished lunch and parted ways for our afternoon classes. Now knowing who Katie was, I sat with her in Muggle Studies, happy to have a table partner. She introduced me to a few other Slytherins, as well as a couple Ravenclaws who were sitting behind us. Katie was so much more bearable than Pansy, I was so glad she got assigned to the room as well.

Professor Burbage spent the period talking mostly about electricity, which I already knew plenty about. I sat back, letting my mind wander.

How powerful exactly was Malfoy’s father? He seemed to be rich and have an influence, so he must be well-known in the wizarding community. I wondered if he could actually get Buckbeak killed, it seemed like a stretch given what happened. Malfoy provoked Buckbeak, but I doubt he would ever tell his father that. Against my will, thoughts of Malfoy filled my head for the rest of class. 

It turned out I had Transfiguration with Katie as well, I must’ve missed her on the first day. We sat next to each other again, some of the students from Muggle Studies trickling into this class as well. 

Once Transfiguration ended, Katie and I parted ways, her heading to the library. I opted to study in the common room, as the windows looking out into the lake oddly seemed to calm me. I slipped through the common room door after a few Slytherins before me, grabbing a table by the windows. A few other students were in the common room, a couple studying at the large circular table together.

I sat my bag by the chair and pulled out my Charms textbook, dropping it on the table. Flipping it open, I skimmed through the introductory chapter, afterwards reading the pages that Flitwick had suggested. As I was taking notes, I kicked my feet up on the chair across from me, leaning back and bringing the textbook to my lap.

“Wilkinson!” I heard my name being called and my head jerked up, finding Jack walking toward me, holding his broom. He was dressed in fancier Slytherin robes, a few protective pads covering his legs and arms. “I’m headed to tryouts, I’ll talk to you later.” I looked around him, seeing a group of Slytherins waiting by the door.

“Good luck!” I called after him, earning myself a wave as he ducked through the door. Malfoy’s hair was nowhere to be seen, so I assumed he hadn’t gone to tryouts.

I got lost in the Charms textbook again, actually finding the subject interesting. Before I knew it, I had a fairly long rough draft of an essay, my skills with a quill slowly getting better. The ink blotted in a few spots, but I was getting the hang of it. 

Yawning, I leaned back in the chair, stretching my arms over my head. I glanced out the window, watching the seaweed wave in the current, a couple schools of fish swimming by.

“Wilkinson?” I turned my head to see Malfoy standing a couple feet away. I withdrew my feet from the chair, sitting upright. His good hand was shoved into his pocket robe, his other arm curled up against his chest. “Um, how is potions going?” he asked, nodding towards my open Charms textbook.

“Oh, actually, this is Charms,” I picked up the book and held the cover up at him, giving him a small smile. “Potions is alright, why?”

“I, uh, thought-” he reached up and clasped the strap of the leather bag hanging off his shoulder. “Maybe we could have one of those tutoring sessions sometime soon?” he asked, and I set the book back down on the table. 

I didn’t get the chance to answer before Malfoy spoke again, this time rushed.

“I mean, we don’t have to do it tonight, but I just don’t want Snape getting mad that I’m not tutoring you,” he further explained.

I nodded slowly, looking back down at my essay.

“Think you could help me with my quill skills as well?” I joked, my eyes falling on the splotches of ink dotting the page.

An actual, genuine chuckle escaped Malfoy’s mouth for a second, before he covered it up with a cough. He took a deep breath before answering. “I could do that.”

“How ‘bout tomorrow after classes?” I offered, leaning forward on the table, folding my forearms over one another. “We could meet in the library, I haven’t been there yet.”

Malfoy was just about to open his mouth to hopefully agree, but a group of boys came bursting through the common room door. I glanced behind him, and he turned as well. Jack was in the front, gripping his broom and pumping it in the air. A couple other boys were following suit, but most of the group sulked off to the boy’s wing.

“Looks like you’ve been replaced, Malfoy,” Flint teased, glancing over at Jack, who was now leaning on his broom like he had been on the field last night. Jack looked past Malfoy and shot me a wink, and I could see Malfoy visibly stiffen. His knuckles went white, his hand clenching onto the strap of his bag. 

“Only because that damn Hippogriff attacked me,” Malfoy retorted, but it was a weak rebuttal.

“You provoked him,” I muttered under my breath, sure he wouldn’t have heard. Instead, Malfoy whipped around, his bag banging against his knee. 

“Shut up, Wilkinson,” he sneered, causing my eyes to widen. They soon narrowed into a glare directed right back at Malfoy. 

“I dunno, Malfoy. Maybe you should pass over your broom to Simmons. You clearly don’t need it, and I’m sure your father would want the whole team to have identical brooms,” Flint continued to taunt Malfoy, and I sat back in the chair, waiting for Malfoy to explode. Flint’s comment immediately got under Malfoy’s skin, who then looked around the group of boys. No one said anything else, but Jack had a smug look on his face, a smirk turning one end of his lips upwards.

“Yeah, pass it over, Malfoy,” Jack followed Flint’s lead, taking a step toward Malfoy. Malfoy didn’t say anything, and instead shoved through the new Slytherin team, storming out the common room door. The boys bursted out in laughter and I turned back to my Charms essay, my eyes scanning over it once more. Most of the team left for dinner, Jack hanging back to sit with me. 

“Charms?” he asked, eyeing my paper. I nodded and he reached for it, clasping it in his hand as his eyes glazed over my writing. “This is pretty good, Olive.” He complimented, letting it float back down onto the table.

“Flint said I was an even better Seeker than Malfoy,” Jack chuckled, crossing his arms and sitting back in the chair. His legs stretched out, his calf just barely brushing mine. 

“‘M sure you are,” I mumbled, giving Jack a soft smile. “Durmstrang taught you well.”

“Our first game is against Gryffindor in a few weeks, you said you’d come,” Jack said, his head tilting to the left. I nodded, finally closing my Charms textbook and shoving it away from me on the table. 

“I’ll bring Katie,” I told him, and he smiled. Katie had told me that she thought Jack was cute, and I’m sure she would fall even deeper in love with him once she found out he was the new Slytherin Seeker.

Jack and I caught up on our afternoon classes, Jack complaining mostly about the sheer amount of homework he had accumulated in only three days. He swore Durmstrang never assigned this much work, to which I teased him and reminded him of his statement about the emphasis on the Dark Arts. He rebutted with a weak “yeah, yeah, whatever.”

“I heard the third years are allowed to join the older students at Hogsmeade in a few weekends, you wanna come with?” he asked, yawning and stretching his arms out to the side. His hand accidentally knocked against the window, scaring off a particularly ugly fish that had been swimming by. 

I nodded, catching his contagious yawn and covering my mouth. “I’m dying for something chocolate-y, my sweet tooth has not been fulfilled by Hogwart’s meals,” I joked, causing Jack to chuckle.

“Well, you seem tired. I’ll let you go to bed,” Jack said, glancing over at the large grandfather clock that sat in one corner of the common room. I looked over too, finding the time to be nearly ten thirty. 

The door swung open, revealing Malfoy finally returning. He glanced over at us for a second, before back down at the ground as he quickly veered off to the left to the boy’s wing. I looked around the common room, seeing that Jack and I were the only ones still here. Standing up, I gathered my things and said goodnight to Jack, heading down to my room.

Pansy was already asleep (I swear all she does is that), and Katie was on her bed, reading ahead in the Muggle Studies textbook. Her parents were both purebloods, and they rarely ever ventured into the Muggle world. I waved to her as I left the room for a shower, coming back twenty minutes later. Katie had turned off the light, so I lit my wand as I stored away my things. Finally climbing into bed, I flicked my wand and killed the spell, placing it on my nightstand. 

I quickly fell into a sleep that was filled with the spells I had researched earlier. Damn you Charms.

\---

The next morning, Hagrid had opted for a slightly less dangerous class, eyeing Malfoy the whole time. We were discussing the Forbidden Forest’s food chain in small groups. I had been grouped with Jack and Crabbe, who was a lot nicer when he was separated from Malfoy. He even cracked a few jokes about unicorns, making both Jack and I laugh. I wondered what about Malfoy turned Crabbe into such an insufferable person.

Once the class had graphed out the food chain, Hagrid let us go for the day. I handed in our parchment, walking back to my group and retrieving my bag that Crabbe had picked up for me. I shot him a quick “thanks” and a smile, to which he returned with a nod. Malfoy quickly pulled him back into his group, leaving Jack and I alone as we walked up toward Hogwarts.

We split off as Jack decided to return to his dormitory for a quick nap, and I headed toward the quad. Finding a bench in the sun, I sat down and pulled out the letter from my aunt that I had received in this morning’s mail. 

“”Dear Olive,

That’s great! I did hear about the dementors, I’m so glad you and your friends are safe. I sent some money with Athena for Hogsmeade, make sure you get some Chocolate Frogs. They were my favorite when I went to Hogwarts.

I hope you’re settling into Slytherin well. I know you, you’ll be able to weed out the good ones.

Sending lots of love,  
Aunt Beth””

I smiled, rereading her words a few times. I did miss her, but I was slowly finding my groove at Hogwarts. Still, I was incredibly excited to return home for Christmas. I wrote her a quick note back, talking about Jack and the Quidditch tryouts, and the whole potions tutoring situation.

Deciding I had enough time to send this off before Defense Against the Dark Arts, I headed to the owlery. Not many students were on campus, leaving me alone to enjoy the changing landscape. I fed Athena before sending her off, ensuring she was good for the journey.

Skipping back down the stairs, I walked briskly back into Hogwarts, making a beeline for the Dark Arts classroom. The bell still had a few minutes to ring, but I didn’t want to be late.

The class went well, the professor seeming to enjoy teaching through experience more so than through lecture. It was quickly becoming one of my favorite classes, and I left the classroom with a large smile on my face. I ended up running into Ginny and Luna on my way to the Great Hall, so I had lunch with them, catching up.

My last class went quickly as well, and I found myself shuffling out the door with the other students before I knew it. I was nearly halfway to the Slytherin common room before I remembered what I had planned with Malfoy. Well, semi-planned, I guess. 

Wondering if he was even going to show up, I turned on my heel and headed back to the library. I was there within a few moments, entering the section where talking was allowed. My eyes scanned the room, not finding any blonde hair. I bit my lip, sighing. Figuring that I was already here, I meandered to an empty table in the back corner, weaving through other tables and chairs. 

Dropping my bag on the table, I sat down, shrugging off my robes and draping them over the back of the chair. Just as I was getting busy with some Dark Arts homework, the chair across from me got pulled out by a pale hand. I looked up, seeing Malfoy fixing his robe that had gotten stuck under his sling. He sat his leather bag on the chair next to him, slipping off his robes as well.

“I got caught up with Crabbe and Goyle,” he muttered, not bothering to apologize for coming late.

I nodded, closing the Dark Arts textbook and pushing it to my right. 

“Uh, Snape just wanted me to go over first and second year stuff, yeah?” Malfoy asked, rummaging through his bag for his Potions textbook and a scroll of parchment. After he sat those on the table, he pulled out a rather expensive-looking quill, one that apparently didn’t need an ink bottle. 

“Here, use this,” he held the quill out to me, and I eyed it before looking skeptically back up at him.

He rolled his eyes, his wrist twisting and opening his palm to me. “Just take it, it’ll make your writing loads better.”

I took it out of his hand, twirling the quill around my fingers. It sat nicely in my hand, slightly weighty. I drew a few test circles on my parchment, the tip of it gliding over the paper. 

Malfoy pulled out an identical quill, flipping it around his fingers as he looked over at me. 

“I guess we’ll start with year one content,” he said, opening his textbook and flipping to the first chapter. 

Malfoy was a surprisingly good tutor, his definitions and explanations making total sense to me. We got through a good few weeks’ worth of content before we grew tired, my brain slowly cutting out. 

I yawned, reaching up to hide my face in my hands. Dragging them down my face, I looked up at Malfoy, who was stifling a yawn as well. 

“I think that’s a good place to stop for today,” Malfoy said, leaning back in his chair. His good arm reached out and flipped his potions textbook shut, the cover coming down loudly on the rest of the pages. A few students turned around and glared at him, but shot them a glare and they quickly turned away. I glanced over at the clock hovering above the main doorway to the library, the time reading 6 o’clock. 

“Dinner’s still being served until seven, you want to go?” Malfoy asked, and my eyebrows knitted together, a bit confused. When Malfoy’s face mirrored mine, I snapped back to reality and relaxed my face, nodding. 

“Yeah, I’m hungry,” I said, shoving the books and parchment back into my bag. Without thinking, I tossed in Malfoy’s quill as well, snapping the metal closure shut. 

Malfoy and I left the library in silence, our robes slightly waving as we walked to the Great Hall. Spying Jack sitting at one of the ends of the Slytherin table, I picked up my pace, almost forgetting that Malfoy was with me. Once I reached Jack, I glanced down the table, noticing only older and younger Slytherins, not recognizing anyone from our grade. I slipped into the bench next to Jack, Malfoy choosing to sit across from us.

“What were you two up to?” Jack said, trying to make his voice sound lighthearted, but his eyes darted suspiciously between Malfoy and I. 

“Just Potions,” I answered as Malfoy simultaneously said “tutoring.” 

Jack’s face relaxed a bit, but he quickly covered it up with a smile. “The roast beef is really good tonight.” He started putting slices on a plate, handing it to me moments later. Malfoy took a bit longer to build a plate, only one hand completely useful.

Jack continued to fill my plate with potatoes and carrots, causing me to laugh and reach out, my hand covering his in an effort to stop him.

“I’m not a child, Jack. I can feed myself,” I teased, taking the metal tongs from him and picking up a couple spears of roasted asparagus. Jack held his hands up in a joking surrender, laughing. Malfoy’s eyes glanced between the two of us, angrily stabbing a carrot with his fork. 

The rest of dinner was a bit awkward, Jack leaving a bit early to start his Charms essay in the library. A few minutes after him, Malfoy stood, shrugging his bag onto his good shoulder.

“I’m going back to the dormitory,” he announced, pushing his empty plate toward the middle of the table.

Since I was done with both dinner and homework, I figured I would go with him, even if he didn’t directly ask me to. I stood as well, looking at him from across the table. “I’ll walk with you.”

Malfoy nodded, waiting for me to swing my bag over my shoulders and we walked out of the hall. We passed a few other students who were rushing into the Great Hall to grab the last few minutes of dinner. Malfoy and I didn’t talk during the walk, but it wasn’t exactly uncomfortable. I turned my attention on the paintings littering the walls, some subjects missing from the frame. A couple ghosts passed by us and disappeared down other hallways, both Malfoy and I nodding a quick hello.

Malfoy muttered the password once we reached the common room door, allowing me to go first. I ducked through the doorframe quickly, taking a few steps into the common room and stopped, turning around. Malfoy eyed me as he started for the boy’s wing, but I cleared my throat and he halted.

“Your quill,” I remembered, swinging my bag around and opening it, rummaging through my things.

“You can keep it. I have loads more,” he said, turning back around and headed down the boy’s wing. I didn’t get the chance to say goodnight as he left me standing alone in the common room, watching him as he disappeared down the hall.

I nodded, more to myself at this point, and turned walking toward my room. Dropping my bag on my bed with my robes, I opted for a shower before bed, grabbing my pajamas before leaving the room.

When I came back, Pansy was sitting on her bed, glaring at me from the second I walked in.

“Hello, Pansy,” I said without looking at her, immediately crossing the room to my bed. I stored away my clothes from today, jumping onto my bed.

“I heard Simmons snagged the Seeker position from Draco,” she sneered, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Did you ever think that maybe Jack is just better than Malfoy?” I retorted, snorting a bit. Pansy opened her mouth to say something more, but I rolled my eyes and crawled under my covers, turning my back towards her. 

As I was drifting off to sleep, I heard Pansy scribbling on a sheet of parchment, no doubt doing homework.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao I found my Hermione halloween costume yesterday, fake ass lil me wanted to be her so bad


	8. chapter seven

I trudged into Potions after Jack, dragging my feet as much I could. This was the first day that the class was going to make a proper third-year potion, as we were done with review. Yesterday’s tutoring session was the only time Malfoy and I had met up yet, and I was praying that it would prove to be worth it.

About half the class was sitting down already, waiting for Snape to start. Jumbled conversations filled the room, but it was still freezing cold as always. I tightened my robes across my body as I followed Jack to our table, trying to find some warmth in the wool. Malfoy and Crabbe were already there, chatting about something. Malfoy caught my eye as I passed, but Jack pulling out my chair for me broke my gaze. I thanked him as I dropped my bag, sitting down and turning my back on Malfoy.

“Moving on from review, we’ll make a Shrinking Solution today. Work with your table partner,” Snape announced, the class immediately quieting down. He went on to talk about the applications of the potions, something about transporting livestock. I zoned out for a second, twirling Malfoy’s quill around my fingers. The feather was pure white with some black spots throughout, and it swayed beautifully through the air as I twirled it. 

“Nice quill,” Jack whispered, but his expression was a bit suspicious. His eyes flicked from the quill back to Snape, sitting back in his chair. 

“Thanks,” I mumbled back, keeping my attention on Snape to make sure he didn’t hear us.

Snape released the class to gather the supplies, Jack offering to do so for the two of us. I flipped open my textbook, reading through the ingredient list and instructions. My stomach twisted when my eyes glazed over ‘juice four leeches.’ Swallowing thickly, I looked up to see Jack balancing a stack of jars as he walked back to the table.

“Could you go get your cauldron from the back? I’ll start juicing the shrivelfigs,” Jack asked, setting the jars down. I nodded and hopped out of the chair, walking to the back. Pushing the sleeves of my robes up my arms, I searched the shelves for the cauldron labelled with my name. Once I finally found it, I walked back to Jack, setting it on the table. His eyes darted back and forth between his open textbook and the rest of the ingredients, laying them out in sequential order. 

We had to share a fire with Malfoy and Crabbe, given the limited number in the classroom. Once Jack had poured in the blood from the figs, I carefully sat my cauldron on a metal stand above the fire. Leaving it to heat up, I returned to the table to help Jack. 

“Could you chop these up?” Jack asked, handing me some daisies and a knife. 

“I swear, potions have the weirdest things in them,” I shook my head, causing Jack to chuckle. 

“Very weird,” he agreed, holding up a hairy caterpillar between his thumb and forefinger. It squirmed, bending back and forth in a C-shape.

“Wilkinson, can I borrow that knife after you?” I heard Malfoy ask from behind me, and I looked up, seeing him standing at his table with a bunch of daisies in his fist. His arm was still in the sling, so I wasn’t even entirely sure how he was planning on manhandling a knife.

“Yeah, just a second,” I nodded, quickly cutting up the rest of the roots, before cleaning off the knife with my finger. I took a step toward Malfoy and Crabbe’s table, handing Malfoy the knife handle first. Once he took it, I turned back the daisy roots, sweeping them off the table into my right palm. 

“Such a shame, such pretty flowers,” I joked, Jack’s mouth forming a smile. I let the roots into the cauldron, brushing off my hands to make sure they all got in there. Jack and I worked through the rest of the steps, him graciously doing the step with the leeches for me. I scrunched up my nose as I watched him pour the disgusting leech-juice into the cauldron, it soon dissipating into the potion as he stirred. 

Jack and I successfully finished, the potion bubbling happily at the end. Snape was walking around the classroom, eyeing each team’s work. When he reached us, he looked down his nose at my cauldron, which we had finally taken off the heat. 

“Good work, you two,” he nodded, before moving on to Malfoy and Crabbe. He said the same to him, and then started down the next row of tables. 

Jack and I sat down, talking about the upcoming Hogsmeade visit as the rest of the class finished. 

“Before you all are dismissed, you will try out your potion. A cage of rats is in the back, retrieve one and feed it your potion. If it shrinks properly, you are free to go after you clean your things,” Snape said as he neared the front of the class again. The room was filled with the sound of stools scooting back as students got up and walked to the back, waiting for their rat. 

Jack got ours, giving it a couple head scratches before setting it down on the table. I watched warily as Jack poured our potion out onto a little dish, nudging the rat toward it. It drank and I watched it become smaller. I blinked, almost not believing it at first. The rat scuttled around the table before Jack let it crawl into his palm.

As Jack was returning it to the cage, I turned around and saw Crabbe nearly drop their rat into the cauldron. 

“No, you idiot,” Malfoy grabbed Crabbe’s wrist, pulling his hand out of the cauldron. The rat squirmed in Crabbe’s grasp, who let it into Malfoy’s waiting hand. Malfoy sat it down on the table, and similar to Jack, let it drink out of a dish. It shrunk as well, a smile on Malfoy’s face once he saw his potion worked. He looked up, meeting my gaze and I quickly turned my back to him, biting my lip.

Jack returned to the table, drying his hands on his robe. I winced, looking down at the now-wet wool.

“That’s gross,” I said, and Jack rolled his eyes.

I grabbed my cauldron and headed to the back of the classroom, giving it a quick wash before setting it back on the shelf. Most of the class had left by now, Snape assisting a group of Syltherins who were having particular difficulty with the potion. 

Jack was waiting at our table, leaning against it with his bag already on his shoulders. Grabbing mine, we left the room, heading towards Charms.

Charms passed by quickly, Flitwick announcing a test for next Friday. At lunch, Jack and I sat with Katie and some of her other Slytherin friends.

“Blaise, this is Jack and Olive,” she introduced us as we sat down. Jack gave Blaise a handshake, and I offered a smile, scooting in close to Katie. 

“You look familiar, Olive. Are you in Astronomy after lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays?” Blaise asked, and I nodded. I had just taken a bite of a turkey sandwich, so I swallowed before answering.

“Yeah, I am. You look familiar too, now that I think about it.”

Blaise returned my response with a smile, then hunched over the table and dove back into his lunch.

Katie introduced me to a few others, and I finally ended up putting names to faces of people in my classes. I felt like I was beginning to settle into the Slytherin house. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, and it definitely wasn’t as bad as others made it out to be. I was doing well in classes (so far, let’s not jinx it), I was making friends, and I was overall fairly happy.

Jack was saying something to the group about Quidditch, but I was half-listening. Unconsciously, my hand reached up and twisted my necklace, something that was quickly becoming a habit. Jack’s eyes darted down to my neck, before back to the rest.

“That’s insane, mate. You played with Krum?” Blaise asked, his mouth falling open in disbelief. Jack nodded, a somewhat smug look on his face. Katie looked over at me, a look of confusion on her face and I shrugged, not knowing what the two were talking about.

Lunch ended twenty minutes later, the group splitting off for their afternoon classes. Katie and I walked side-by-side to Muggle Studies and Transfiguration.

Three hours later, we were walking to the library, hoping to get some studying done before dinner.

“Please, you have to help me with Muggle Studies,” Katie practically begged, a ghost shooting us a glare as her voice echoed around the hallway. I mouthed an apology to him before I turned back to her, laughing.

“Of course I will.”

She sighed in relief, muttering something about the complexity of electricity as we entered the library. It was pretty packed, the first week of classes finally coming to end and the homework assignments beginning to pile up. We found an empty table in the middle and sat down, busying ourselves with a Transfiguration essay.

Jack, Blaise and Pansy joined us about an hour later, the three of them coming from their Herbology class. All five of us fell into studying, which ended up being a lot more productive than I expected it to be. Pansy kept eyeing Jack, which he didn’t notice as his eyes skimmed over his Charms textbook.

Once the clock struck five thirty, Jack and Blaise immediately jumped up, hungry. Pansy, Katie and I followed suit, stuffing our schoolbags full with textbooks, parchment and quills. Since it was a Friday night, the Great Hall was bustling with both students and professors, nearly everyone taking the night off of schoolwork.

“Come on, you guys. Malfoy and Crabbe are over there,” Pansy said, immediately walking towards them. Malfoy glanced up when we arrived, Crabbe too busy with his roast chicken. Pansy slipped in next to Malfoy, her arm brushing up against his. The rest of us sat down on the opposite side, dropping our bags underneath the bench. We passed around plates of main dishes and sides, everyone eventually filling their plate within a few minutes.

The boys began to talk about Quidditch again, Pansy leaning over Malfoy’s arm, quite literally inserting herself into the conversation. 

“So, Jack’s the new seeker, huh?” Katie whispered, waggling her eyebrows. Her gaze fell on Jack for a second, before looking back at me.

“Sure is,” I chuckled, scooting closer to her. “You think he’s cute, don’t you?”

Katie blushed, looking down using her fork to push around her roasted vegetables. “He’s, like, so hot, in my defense,” she blurted out, but managed to keep her voice down.

I laughed, reaching up and brushing away a piece of hair that had fallen out of my ponytail.

“How ‘bout you, me and him go to Hogsmeade together? I’ll mysteriously disappear into the bathroom, you two can have some alone time,” I proposed, twisting my torso so I was fully facing her. My tone was playful, but I meant what I said. The group was still talking behind me, and I could hear Blaise getting very passionate about some famous player.

“He’s the best Seeker the Cannons have had in years!”

Katie eagerly nodded, looking back at Jack once more. I smiled back at her, before I turned back to the table. Everyone was pretty much done with dinner, so we pushed our empty plates to the middle and stood up, the group assembling at the end of the table. I walked back to the common room with Jack, the rest of the group in front of us.

Pansy was still hanging onto Malfoy’s every word, but he was also making no move to push her off. I bit my lip, watching the two of them constantly bump into each other during the walk, her giggling echoing through the halls.

“Are they, like, dating or something?” Jack murmured, leaning down just slightly but keeping his eyes on Malfoy and Pansy.

I shrugged, my gaze lingering on them as well. “I dunno.”

For some reason, and I couldn’t place exactly why I felt like this, but I really, really hoped they weren’t.

\---

Saturday was spent soaking up the rest of the summer sun in the quad with Katie and Pansy. Laying out on a wool blanket, we spent the day getting to know each other. It turned out that before this year, Katie and Pansy had never really talked, even though they had been in numerous classes together their first and second years.

I was laying on my back, my eyes closed and the sun warming my face.

“Heads!” I heard a boy yell, and I didn’t even get the chance to open my eyes before I heard something thump on the ground just inches from my head. Sitting up, I squinted at a boy who was running towards us, a warm smile on his face. He was dressed in a yellow sweater and jeans, and he bounded to a stop a couple feet away. 

“You could’ve killed us, Cedric,” Katie scoffed, but a hint of a smile was playing at her lips. Cedric laughed, bending down and retrieving the football from where it had landed.

“Sorry ‘bout that,” he said, glancing at all of us quickly before standing and running back to his friends. Halfway back, he dropped the ball and kicked it high into the sky, the arc of the ball impressive. I collapsed back down on the blanket, stretching out and tossing my forearm over my eyes. 

“Do we really have to do the Muggle Studies essay?” I groaned, letting out an exasperated huff. Professor Burbage had assigned us one yesterday, but it was such an easy subject and I had no motivation to write it.

“Yeah, we should probably get back to the common room,” Katie sighed, standing up. Pansy and I did as well, Pansy folding the wool blanket and tucking it under her arm. 

The three of us crossed the quad, eventually descending into the dungeons and through the common room door. Given that it was the weekend, there were a lot of other Slytherins hanging out, most of them sitting by the fire. 

We passed through the room, heading to our bedroom to gather our schoolbags. Malfoy was sitting with Crabbe and Goyle, his leg dangling over one of the arms of a leather couch.

Pansy tossed the wool blanket by her bed, grabbing her textbooks and stacking them on her nightstand before she picked them up. 

Fifteen minutes later, we were sitting at a table in the library, textbooks spread around and parchment unrolled, ready to be written on. I took out the quill Malfoy had given me, not thinking much of it. As I scribbled my name on the top of a roll of parchment, Pansy spoke.

“That quill looks a lot like Draco’s,” she said, eyeing the bright white feather. I sucked the side of my cheek into my mouth, biting down to keep myself from smiling. 

“Hm, that’s odd,” I shrugged, continuing to write the date after my name. “It was a gift from my aunt.”

\---

I was seriously stressed out on Sunday. Snape had promised us a harder, individually-made potion on Monday, and I doubted I could get through it without Jack’s help. I was sitting at the Slytherin table, gnawing on a blueberry muffin and staring at the table so hard, I thought I was going to burn a hole through it. 

My trance got broken by pale knuckles rapping at the wood across the table. I looked up, seeing Malfoy giving me a weird look. I slowly chewed the rest of the muffin that was already in my mouth, swallowing.

“Uh-” he cleared his throat with a cough. “I thought today would be another good time for tutoring.”

It was like he read my mind. I nodded my head, setting down the rest of my muffin on the table. “Please.” 

“Snape said we could use his classroom, it might help,” he said, his eyes scanning the breakfast spread. He decided on a croissant and a banana, holding them in his good hand. 

I nearly shoved the rest of the muffin in my mouth, balling up the wrapper in my hand and shoving it in my robe pocket. Following Malfoy out of the Great Hall, I bit my lip. 

“Did you really have one of the highest marks?” I asked, causing him to look over at me. His face didn’t look offended, but he was definitely caught off guard.

“I mean, you just don’t seem like someone who takes classes seriously,” I tried to correct myself, but winced when it came out worse. “No offense.”

Malfoy smirked, bringing the croissant up to his mouth and tearing off a bit. After swallowing, he answered. “Uh, yeah, I did. Potions is just easy for me, I guess,” he shrugged, and I dropped the subject. 

We were entering the potions classroom within minutes, Malfoy shutting the door behind us. 

“I could walk you through tomorrow’s potion,” he offered, setting his leather bag down on one of the tables. I did the same, opting for a different table. Shrugging off my robes, I nodded. I shoved my sleeves up, reaching for my bag and opening my potions textbook. Skimming through the table of contents, I found the potion that Snape had mentioned and flipped to the page. A Girding Potion. Can’t be that hard, right?

I took a deep breath and turned around to face Malfoy, who had hoisted himself up on a table. His legs swung back and forth, and he tore the rest of his croissant apart with his teeth, his bad hand of no help.

“Alright, go get your cauldron, and then get the ingredients,” he ordered, and I nodded, weaving around his table to the back. I brought back the cauldron first, turning on the flame and setting my cauldron on the stand like I had on Friday. I took a quick glance at the ingredient list, trying to memorize as much as I could. Fairy wings, doxy eggs, dragonfly thoraxes... Got it. 

I repeated the list in my head as I walked to the supply closet, opening the doors. I grabbed the jars, stacking them in the crook of my left arm. 

“What kind of eggs again?” I called out to Malfoy, my eyes scanning over the numerous kinds of eggs Snape had.

“Oxeye!” Malfoy called back through a mouthful of banana. I found the jar, tucking it under my chin. I walked back, carefully not to drop anything. I set the jars down on the table, arranging them around my textbook. I ordered them like Jack had, from first to last on the instructions.

Under Malfoy’s watchful eye, I added the fairy wings to the cauldron, the color soon turning a pretty turquoise. So far, so good. His textbook sat on his lap, and he read out the following instructions. Listening, I added the dragonfly thoraxes, plucking the heads off first. The potion turned orange until I added a flying seahorse, returning back to turquoise.

“It’s a pretty color,” I chuckled, glancing over at Malfoy. He nodded, leaning forward to look down into the cauldron. His hand clutched the top of his textbook, keeping it from sliding off.

“Now, more thoraxes,” he instructed, looking down at his textbook.

I added them, the potion turning red. I smiled big, happy that the potion was going as well as it was. I turned toward Malfoy, who had a small smile on his lips.

Turning back around, I grabbed the jar containing the oxeye eggs, picking out three and dropping them one-by-one into the cauldron. It didn’t do anything for a few moments, until the cauldron began to shake, the potion bubbling aggressively. I took a step back, and Malfoy hopped off the table, dropping his textbook on the ground. 

“Uh, that doesn’t seem righ-” I started, but got interrupted by my potion blowing out of the cauldron explosively, covering the nearby tables and the ground. I backed up, throwing an arm over my face, looking away. 

It calmed almost immediately, the remaining potion seeping down the side of the cauldron and dripping into the fire. Malfoy looked at me, his eyebrows knitted in confusion. “What did you do?” his tone was accusatory, and I immediately got defensive.

“What did I do?” I retorted, emphasizing the ‘I’. “I followed your instructions, Professor Malfoy!” I said his name sarcastically, earning me a glare from him.

He walked to the table, wiping off some of the goopy potion with his hand. He picked up the jar containing the oxeye eggs, turning it so he could see the label. His eyes swept over Snape’s writing, letting out an exasperated sigh.

“It called for doxy eggs, Wilkinson,” Malfoy scoffed, angrily slamming the jar back down on the table. “Not oxeye eggs.”

“You told me oxeye eggs!” I cried, throwing my hands up in the air. The classroom was beginning to smell from the failed potion, almost making me sick. I focused on breathing through my mouth as I glared at Malfoy.

“I did not, I said doxy,” he defended, leaning his good hand on the table. 

“You’re a shit tutor,” I snapped, my eyes glancing around at the mess we had made. We had to clean it up as soon as possible, I didn’t want the smell to be lingering tomorrow morning.

“Well, maybe if you had listened to me, this wouldn’t have happened!” Malfoy gestured around the classroom, the potion beginning to drip down the tables as well. I groaned, resting my elbows on a clean table and burying my face in my hands.

A few moments of silence later, I raised my head, my heart finally calming down. 

“You’re insufferable,” I spat at him, turning and walking to the back of the classroom to find a towel. Malfoy didn’t say anything, instead watching me as I came back, turning off the flame and taking the cauldron off the heat. I cleaned alone for a few moments, before Malfoy pushed off the table and wet a towel as well. We cleaned the room in silence, the mess eventually gone. The smell lingered, but it didn’t seem as bad as it had been when it exploded. 

I gathered the ingredient jars once I had cleaned them off, returning them to the supply closet.

Malfoy was waiting by the door when I came back out, leaning up against the stone. I huffed and grabbed my bag, hauling it over my shoulder and draped my robes over my arm. We didn’t speak as we walked back to the common room.

Once we entered, I veered off to the right, desperately wanting nothing more than to face-plant into my bed. I didn’t look back to say goodbye to Malfoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would anybody want some Draco POV written in? I’m not sure if I could stretch it a whole chapter, but I think it would be fun to have a bit of his POV mixed in :)
> 
> Also, I literally have so much planned out and I’m sO excited to write all the angst and everything, but I promised myself I’d take it slow lololol
> 
> Also, also if anyone could tell me how to make words italicized on here, that would be awesome lol I can't figure it out without changing the format of the chapter text and then it looks gross


	9. chapter eight

I was bound and determined to make the Girding potion correctly on Monday morning. So determined, even, that I had gotten to class fifteen minutes early, sitting at my table and reviewing the procedure in my textbook.

Malfoy and Crabbe entered the class together, sitting down behind me. I thought I heard Malfoy whisper my last name, but I ignored him and kept my eyes on the book. Thirty seconds before class started, Jack dropped into the seat, slightly out of breath.

“Overslept,” he managed to get out, his chest heaving and small beads of sweat forming on his forehead. 

“Like I mentioned on Friday, we’ll make another potion today,” Snape’s gaze swept over the class, eyeing the group that was having trouble last class. “Individually.” 

He reminded the class of the page number, which was met with the noise of numerous textbooks being opened and pages being flipped through.

My leg was bouncing impatiently, waiting for Snape to release us to gather the supplies. Once he did, I shot out of the stool, ignoring Jack’s call after me. I was one of the first students to the closet, and once it was my turn, I triple-checked I got doxy eggs. Jack was waiting in the line of students as I passed him, my focus locked on our table. After setting the ingredients down, I grabbed my cauldron from the back shelves and started the flame. Snape had added two more metal stands to the fire, giving the four of us our own. 

Jack came back, spreading his jars out on the table.

“You seem, uh,” he paused, probably choosing his words carefully. “Intense this morning.”

I shot him a glare as I plucked out a set of fairy wings, screwing the lid back onto the jar. He raised his hands in a surrender, causing a smile to creep on my lips before I could help it. 

“Just focused,” I shrugged, dropping the wings into my cauldron and giving it a quick stir once they melted. The potion turned turquoise like it had yesterday. 

Snape was walking around the room, setting two sets of nose plugs on each table. Malfoy had mentioned that the potion was particularly foul-smelling yesterday, and with twenty-five other potions in the making, I was grateful for Snape’s action. I slipped the nose plug on before I continued.

Jack got busy with his own potion as well, leaving me alone as we worked. I moved through the steps, holding my breath as I added the three doxy eggs. I glanced over at Malfoy, who was watching me intently. He held my eyes for a second, before glancing down at the dragonflies he was beheading. My cauldron sat motionless on the stand, an occasional bubble forcing its way to the top. 

I eyed it carefully as I added the rest of the ingredients, the potion eventually turning a soft green color. Jack was still on the eighth step of the instructions, and Malfoy was behind me by a couple. I glanced around the class, the rest of the students hunched over their tables, still working. Satisfied, I raised my hand, catching Snape’s attention and he walked over. Looking down at my cauldron, he gave the mixture a quick stir before nodding. 

“Well done, Miss Wilkinson,” he said, watching the potion slowly turn a golden color, indicating its successful completion. Jack looked over, one hand holding a seahorse as he gave me an exasperated look paired with a raised eyebrow.

“I see the tutoring sessions are helping,” Snape muttered quietly, so I was the only one to hear. I nodded, looking up at him. 

“Five points to Slytherin for finishing first,” Snape announced, causing a couple Ravenclaws to groan on the other side of the classroom. I smirked, walking to the front of the classroom to grab a glass vial that Snape required us to keep our completed potions in. Twirling it around my fingers, I walked back to the table, catching Malfoy’s eye. He gave me a quick nod, almost like he was congratulating me. A tiny smile formed on my lips and I twirled around to face the ingredient jars on my side of the table, my robes whirling around me. I carefully spooned some of my potion into the vial, sealing it shut. 

Moments later, Malfoy raised his hand. Snape checked his potion, giving him a head nod of approval. He muttered something to Malfoy, but I couldn’t hear.

Jack groaned as I came back from storing my ingredients away, shooting me a pleading look.

“How many thoraxes did you put in for step eleven? It isn’t turning blue,” Jack sighed, looking down at his potion, which was stuck at a murky red. 

“Four, I think. Make sure you stir in between each one,” I offered, trying to help. Jack nodded, giving his cauldron a couple more mixes, careful not to agitate it. 

I sat on the stool, resting my head on my hand as I watched Jack fiddle with his potion. It eventually turned the desired blue color, and he finished the procedure within a couple of minutes. 

The class had ten more minutes left, just enough for students to finish their potions and clean up. Malfoy had ended up helping Crabbe under Snape’s permission, the two of them quarrelling over which ingredient to add next. 

Jack and I’s vials sat on the corner of the table, waiting to be picked up by Snape.

When the bell rung, most of the students filtered out of the class, only a couple staying behind to finish washing up their cauldrons. I walked to Charms with Jack, followed by Malfoy and Crabbe. A few other Slytherins joined in, the group entering Charms all at once.

Professor Flitwick and I had a couple review sessions last week, so I was becoming more familiar with Charms. Combined with my success in Potions this morning, I was finally feeling completely settled into Hogwarts. I sat down at the usual table with Jack, making small talk until Flitwick started the class. The Charms classroom was much warmer than Potions, so I shrugged off my robes and draped them over my chair. 

We had been revising the Levitation charm since last week, and it spilled into this week as well. In place of the feathers and leaves we used on Friday, Flitwick had left heavier objects on the desks, such as ink pots and blocks of metal. 

“Remember the wrist movement! And the proper pronunciation!” he called out as the class began. The classroom was soon filled with students repeating “Wingardium Leviosa.” We were meant to be increasing the weight and length of time we could levitate objects.

Ten minutes later, Jack was finally able to hover the ink pot a few inches above the table, it shaking gently in the air as Jack’s hand shook.

I was still attempting to lift a block of steel, eventually getting it once I shook out my wrist and tried again.

“Look, Olive!” Jack said, raising the ink pot in the air a good four feet. I squinted, able to see the ink sloshing around inside as the sun rays hit the glass just right.

“Is there ink in ther-” I started, but Jack’s charm gave out, the small bottle crashing back down on the table. Ink splattered onto the wood, hitting the gray wool of my sweater as well. My mouth opened, looking down at the growing black spot, the ink seeping into the fabric.

The class quieted at the sound of the glass breaking, several heads turning. In front of us, Malfoy and Blaise turned, Malfoy’s arm resting on the back of his chair. Flitwick quickly scurried over, curious as to what had happened.

“Oh-h-h,” I huffed out, shaking my head as I stared at Jack. “You’re so going to pay, Simmons.” 

Before I even thought about the possibility of glass shards, my fingers swiped through the puddle of black ink, reaching up and smearing it from Jack’s cheek down to his neck. Jack’s mouth dropped open as well, but there was a playful glint in his eye. He did the same, but he decided on my exposed forearm, the black ink streaking down my skin. 

“Stop it, you two!” Flitwick scolded, and our laughs died down. “Go clean up, get changed if you have to,” he added. I knew he was too nice to take house points away or give us detention.

I thanked him before I stood, leaving my things at the table. We still had over an hour left in the class, and I assumed I would’ve been back by then. Jack stood as well, leaving the Charms classroom with me.

“You shouldn’t have levitated it that much,” I said as we skipped down the stone steps, heading for the dungeons. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Jack waved his hand, blowing it off. He reached up, wiping his hand on his cheek. The ink had already dried, leaving little residue on his fingers. We split off once we reached the common room, each heading to our own bedrooms. I re-dressed into a white button-up quickly, leaving the ink-stained sweater on my bed, deciding to deal with it later. It was probably a lost cause anyways. 

Before I joined Jack in the common room, I scrubbed off the ink from my arm in the bathroom. Jack was already waiting for me, sitting on the arms of one of the leather couches. He looked up as I entered, his eyes immediately falling on my chest. I cocked an eyebrow, confused.

He cleared his throat before he spoke, standing up. “Uh, you haven’t buttoned yet,” he said awkwardly, his hands gesturing up and down his chest. I looked down, seeing that I had, in fact, forgotten to button my top. Thank God it was only a half-button blouse, nothing too bad had shown. 

I flushed, my hands immediately flying up and working the buttons from bottom up. Jack looked away, one hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. 

We left the common room in silence, a slight bit of awkward tension between us. As we climbed the stone stairs, Jack looked over.

“Hey, um, what’s that necklace of?” he asked, and I reached up, grabbing the olive branch pendant in between my fingers. “I mean, I saw it on Friday too, but uh, that-” he pointed back to the common room with his thumb, “reminded me to ask.”

I let go of the necklace, resting it on my sternum again. 

“Oh, my parents gave it to me. Just an olive branch, kinda cheesy,” I laughed, causing Jack to smile. Any discomfort between us faded away, like the shirt thing never happened.

“‘T’s pretty,” Jack mumbled, reaching the top of the stairs before me. The walk back to Charms was quick, we were there within a few minutes. We slipped in quietly, trying to not disturb the class who were still working with the ink pots and metal blocks.

Flitwick rounded up the class by reminding us to read the textbook section on the Cheering Charm, which we were going to do on Wednesday. 

\---

The next two weeks went by quickly, Hogwarts finally settling into the fall term. Assignments, quizzes and tests started to accumulate, and I felt like I had something due in a class everyday. Malfoy and I met a few more times for tutoring, but we stayed in the library, not wanting to repeat the fiasco that happened in the Potions classroom. 

It was a Friday night in the Great Hall, a large dinner prepared for the students and professors. I was sitting with Katie and Pansy, enjoying some butternut squash and roasted turkey. Jack and the rest of the Slytherin team had practice right after classes, so they were running a bit late. 

This weekend was going to be a busy one, the Gryffindor versus Slytherin game tomorrow, and Hogsmeade on Sunday. I had ended the week with exams in Potions and Transfiguration, and I was more than ready to do absolutely nothing for the next two days.

“Hey, you guys,” Jack said, coming up behind me and Katie. Pansy looked up from across the table, scooting over as Crabbe and Malfoy sat down, flanking either side of her. Flint waved the team a goodbye, heading down the table to sit with his seventh-year friends. Blaise dropped down next to Katie, immediately reaching for a serving plate full of turkey. Jack sat down next to me, his hair slightly wet from his shower.

“How was practice?” I asked him, the rest of the group falling into their own conversations. Malfoy was finally out of his sling, but Flint didn’t let him back on the team. He said he was a reserve player, just in case something happened to Jack.

“Pretty good, the team’s doing really well,” Jack said between mouthfuls of dinner rolls. His cheeks puffed out like a hamster’s, talking with his mouth full. “It’s gonna be an easy win tomorrow.”

I had run into Ginny earlier in the week, catching up with her. She said her twin brothers were Beaters on the Gryffindor team, so she was going to be there. Before we split off for classes, I told her we could meet up during the game.

“I heard Wood’s taking it pretty seriously,” I said, shrugging. Wood was Gryffindor’s captain, and was also in his last year at Hogwarts. “Really wants to get that cup.”

“We’ll win,” Crabbe reaffirmed Jack’s words from the other side of the table, causing Jack and I to turn. I looked over at Malfoy, who was poking at his turkey with a fork as Pansy talked his ear off. 

“You’re a great Beater, Crabbe,” Jack complimented, causing Crabbe to smile and return his attention to his dinner. 

The group finished dinner, the Great Hall full with conversation and laughter as the schoolweek came to a close.

\---

When I woke on Saturday morning, Pansy was already out of bed and absent from the room. Katie was still sleeping, curled into her side, facing away from me. I rolled my head to the left to read my alarm clock, seeing that it was a bit past nine in the morning. Yawning, I sat up, rubbing the sleep crust out of my eyes. 

I decided to shower while Katie was still sleeping, so I slipped out of the room quietly and headed for the bathroom. 

When I came back, Pansy had returned, her bed heaping full of Slytherin-themed apparel. Scarfs, sweaters, gloves, hats, you name it. Katie was up as well, ruffling through the scarfs. 

“Here’s a scarf, Olive,” Pansy tossed a dark green and silver striped scarf at me, and I caught it. The summer weather had faded away over the past couple weeks, leaving Hogwarts in a seemingly never-ending state of cold air and bitter wind.

“Where’d you get all this?” I asked, holding out the scarf to look at it.

“If seventh-years leave things behind when they graduate, the elves bring it to lost-and-found. I’ve been looting from it since my first year,” Pansy shrugged, digging through the hats and throwing me one. It was a beanie with a silver pom-pom on top, a similar pattern to the scarf. 

I frowned, not sure exactly how I felt about Pansy stealing from the lost-and-found, but I shrugged it off. 

“The match isn’t until eleven, do you guys want to grab breakfast first?” Katie asked us after she had laid out her outfit on her bed. Pansy and I nodded, dropping the Slytherin clothes and the three of us left for the Great Hall.

Jack and the rest of the team weren’t at breakfast, so I assumed Flint had them doing some sort of pre-game practice. 

Since it was the weekend, the breakfast was more elaborate than usual. Fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon and different types of eggs were scattered around the four house tables, students spread out in their weekend clothes. Once we sat down, I took a goblet full of hot chocolate from the middle of the table, warming myself as I cupped my hands around it.

“I cannot believe Hufflepuff won the cup last year,” Pansy scoffed, stacking three pancakes on top of one another on her plate.

“I know, I thought we totally had a shot with Draco as Seeker. The brooms his father bought were so nice,” Katie agreed as she cracked some pepper onto her scrambled eggs. I nibbled on a couple slices of bacon, listening to their conversation.

The rest of breakfast was filled with the three of us talking about a variety of things, from the upcoming Hogsmeade visit tomorrow to things on our Christmas wishlists.

By the time we returned to the room, it was already ten-thirty. As we walked back to the dungeons, we heard yelling in the quad from students who were particularly excited for the first game of the season.

The three of us dressed warmly, wrapped up in down jackets, scarfs and hats. Malfoy, Blaise and Goyle joined us in the common room, and we headed toward the Quidditch field.

We could hear Lee Jordan’s voice coming through the speakers, running a few pre-game activities with the crowds. I winced as he encouraged a yelling match, each house trying to out-yell the other. 

Before we made our way to the stands, I saw Ginny standing with some of her friends. I slipped away from the group, jogging over to her.

“Olive!” she smiled, giving me a hug as I got closer.

“Hey! I hope Fred and George aren’t that good of players,” I joked, and Ginny laughed, her eyes darting up to the green and silver colors of my beanie. She introduced me to some of her friends in Gryffindor, including her brother, Ron. I smiled at all of them, trying to remember the names as she quickly pointed each out - Neville, Hermione, Seamus, Dean. I wished them a good time before I waved and left, running to catch up with the rest of the Slytherins.

They were just about to climb up the wooden steps of the small, box-shaped stands when I finally reached them. I miscalculated my steps, and accidentally ran into Malfoy, my left arm colliding aggressively with his right. He stumbled, catching himself before he looked over at who had run into him.

“Watch it, Wilkinson,” he said, but it wasn’t necessarily angry or playful. I muttered a quick apology, slipping past him and double-stepping a few stairs so I could catch up with Katie and Pansy. 

Snape was sitting in our stand, up near the top. Filch sat next to him, hunched over a bit. Malfoy led us to the front row, so we could lean over the railing during the game.

Lee announced that there was five minutes until the game started, and then challenged the stands with a noise competition again. He called out each house, starting with Gryffindor. The other side of the field erupted in yelling and shouting, and I reached up, tugging my beanie down over my ears.

“Let me hear ya, Slytherins!” Lee shouted into the microphone, his voice carrying across the field.

Our stand and the ones on either side immediately jumped up, students stomping their feet and yelling until their voices gave out. Katie grabbed Pansy and I’s hands, raising them into the air as we screamed, eventually falling into a fit of laughter. Malfoy whooped with Goyle and Blaise, swinging his fist in the air as he leaned over the railing.

“Hmm, I dunno. I think I’m gonna have to give that to the Gryffindors,” Lee mused, followed by a quick whisper that we still heard through the speakers. “I’m not being biased, I swear, Professor McGonagall!” 

The Gryffindor stands erupted in noise again, obviously happy that they won. Katie rolled her eyes and sat back down, pulling Pansy and I with her. The rest of the box followed suit, and we sat, waiting for the game to start. It was a bit less cold since the box was packed with body heat, but my legs were still bouncing up and down.

“Welcome the Gryffindor team!” Lee yelled, and I looked up as he called each player and their position as they flew out onto the field.

“Beaters Fred and George Weasley!”

“Chasers Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, and Alicia Spinnet! It’s a great day for the ladies!” The crowd could hear someone, presumably McGonagall, thump Lee on the head, to which he whined out a tiny ‘ow.’

“Keeper and captain Oliver Wood and seeker Harry Potter are the last two out!”

The red Quidditch robes of the Gryffindor team zoomed around the field, Fred and George splitting, and then high-fiving each other as they passed one another. 

“And now, the Slytherin team!” Lee announced, causing the Slytherin stands to jump up.

“Beaters Adrian Pucey and Lucian Bole!” The two boys followed the Gryffindors, flying out and hovering near the Slytherin stands.

“Chasers Vincent Crabbe, Graham Montague, and Captain Marcus Flint!” 

“Keeper Miles Bletchley!”

“And, introducing Slytherin’s new seeker, Jack Simmons!” I sat up, trying to see Jack fly out. The Slytherin team did a few fly-arounds of the field, similar to the Gryffindors. Their flashy green robes whipped in the wind, flying out behind each player.

The game started, Jack and Harry immediately climbing high into the sky, hovering and keeping a lookout for the snitch. 

Lee’s commentary was entertaining, McGonagall’s voice popping in every once in a while to scold him.

“Ya know, I asked Angelina to Hogsmeade last week, and she said no! Can you believe that?” Lee got off topic, and the crowd booed. 

Fifteen minutes later, Gryffindor had five goals and a total of fifty points, and Slytherin was behind by twenty. Harry and Jack had made little movement, their eyes still scanning the field for the golden flash.

Suddenly, Jack dipped forward, shooting down toward the ground. The Slytherin stands stood, beginning to yell and scream in support of Jack. Harry shot after Jack, hot on his tail. Jack rolled off to the right, sending Harry plummeting toward the ground. He recovered, but not until Jack was reaching out for the snitch. 

He grasped it tightly, his hand pumping into the air as he slowed his pace and circled around the field.

Hooch blew her whistle, signaling the end of the game. The Gryffindor stands were filled with moaning and groaning, their red team flying back and touching down on the grass. Jack flew over to our stand, coming to a halt and shooting me a wink. Katie, Pansy and I were jumping in excitement, Malfoy and the others yelling out as well.

The Slytherin team touched down, putting away the Quidditch balls as the stands emptied. The group of us headed back to the common room, and Pansy, Katie and I went back to the room to drop off the extra clothes. I traded the sweater I was wearing for a forest green jumper. Shoving my hands into the pocket, I walked back out to the common room with the girls, waiting for the team to come back. Several other Slytherins were waiting as well, excited to celebrate the first win of the year.

We sat down on a couch with Malfoy and Blaise, Goyle apparently off somewhere else. I was squeezed between the couch arm and Malfoy, our legs brushing up against one another.

When the team bursted through the doors, they were met with an explosion of yelling and chanting. A few boys hoisted Jack up onto his shoulders, his broom long forgotten at the door. 

I glanced over it, noticing it was the same as the rest of the teams’. I bit my lip, wondering if Malfoy had actually given his broom up. 

“Simmons! Simmons! Simmons!” the group chanted rhythmically, carrying Jack over to the fireplace. They let him down on the table, accidentally knocking a skull onto the floor. The crowd dissipated in a few moments, the students mingling about the common room. 

Standing up, I put my arms in the air and looked at Jack with pure excitement.

“Nice job!” I congratulated him, and he hopped off the table, gathering me in his arms. Immediately, I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he spun me around a couple times before setting me back down. His hands rested on my waist, beaming back down at me. 

I could hear the group congratulating Jack behind me, Blaise letting him know it was the sickest catch he’d ever seen during his time at Hogwarts. 

“Hey, Malfoy, did you give Jack your broom-” I said, turning around, Jack’s hands falling off my waist. I stopped talking when I saw an empty spot on the couch where Malfoy had been, and looked up to see his blonde hair storming off to the boy’s wing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the things I have planned for this fic omg


	10. chapter nine

The next morning was spent studying before we left for Hogsmeade. I didn’t have much homework, so I sat in the common room in my usual spot next to the window. I finished an essay for Muggle Studies within an hour, Malfoy’s quill making it incredibly easier to write without blotting.

I set the quill down, leaning back in the chair and stretching, looking over at the clock in the corner of the common room. 

“Eleven forty-three,” I muttered to myself, hunching back over the table and gathering my things. 

Katie had told me that, on Hogsmeade weekends, most of the students walked together after lunch, usually around twelve-thirty. Once I had my parchment and textbooks in my arms, I made my way down the hallway to my room, letting myself in.

Pansy had slept in this morning, only waking up about half an hour ago. Katie was writing a letter to her parents, wanting to send it at the post office later.

I dropped my school things on my bed, my books slightly bouncing on the mattress. Sitting down next to them, I laid back and relaxed for a second, closing my eyes.

“Alright, ladies,” Katie said jokingly, clapping her hands together as she slipped off her bed. “Lunch, and then Hogsmeade?”

Pansy groggily nodded from where she was picking out clothes from her dresser, tossing them haphazardly on the ground. I nodded as well, rolling over onto my stomach to open my nightstand drawer. I dug through it, trying to find the small bag of money that Aunt Beth had sent with Athena a few weeks ago. Once I did, I crawled out of bed, shoving the bag into my jean pocket. 

Katie and I waited while Pansy dressed, and then the three of us grabbed our jackets and hats, leaving for the Great Hall. As we were eating breakfast, Pansy left to use the bathroom. Once she was out of earshot, Katie pulled gently on my jacket sleeve, getting my attention.

“Can you still get Jack and me alone?” she asked, her eyes big in anticipation. I nodded, biting my lip once I realized that Pansy would be with us.

“I can try, but what about Pansy? I didn’t think she was going to come with us when we planned this,” I said honestly, frowning a bit. Katie paused, thinking for a second, tapping her chin with her fingers.

“If we bring Malfoy with us, I’m certain she’ll go off with him,” she suggested, and my stomach did an involuntary flip at the mention of his name. I swallowed thickly, clearing my thoughts and offering Katie an enthusiastic smile, trying to convince myself it was nothing.

“You’re right, that’ll work,” I laughed, trying to make it not sound forced. I really don’t know why I was so irked by Pansy and Malfoy, whatever Malfoy did was none of my business. Katie gave me a smile before she finished her bagel.

I drummed my fingers on the table, resting my head on my palm and staring off, my eyes unfocusing. Honestly, why did I care so much about Pansy and-

“Draco!” I heard Katie call, causing me to pick my head up and twist it the direction she was looking. Malfoy was walking towards us, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. I closed my eyes in disbelief for a second, turning back around to the table. Katie invited the three to sit with us, Malfoy sitting on my left and Crabbe and Goyle joining Katie on the other side.

“Hey,” Malfoy muttered down to me, Crabbe and Goyle already in a conversation with Katie.

“Hi,” I said back, clearing my throat and raising my gaze, grabbing a shiny red apple. I felt Malfoy chuckle next to me, reaching out and opting for a green one. 

“Guess who I found?” Pansy’s voice rang out, causing everyone at the table to look towards her. She was standing with Jack, who immediately walked over and sat on my right, scooting in close as he reached over me for a muffin. 

I playfully swatted his arm, mumbling at him to get out of my space. 

“So, what’s this place like?” he asked the rest of the group, his eyes darting around to each of them.

“Oh, it’s great. A lotta shops, good food,” Goyle answered, and Jack nodded, looking down at his muffin and focusing on peeling the paper off. 

Everyone else fell in conversation, Pansy practically on Malfoy’s lap. Finding it annoying, I sighed, turning my back to the two of them and knocked my knee against Jack’s.

“Hey, do you wanna split off from the group once we get there? I’ve kinda had enough of Pansy for one day,” Jack leaned forward and whispered into my ear, chuckling quietly. He sat back up, straightening out his spine.

I nodded, reaching for the goblet of hot chocolate that I had been drinking out of. “Can we bring Katie?” I asked, my eyes quickly darting over to her. Blaise had joined us now, and she was talking to him. 

Jack followed my gaze, before he brought his attention back to me. “Uh, yeah, I guess,” he nodded, tearing off a bite of his muffin. He swallowed and cleared his throat, changing his answer. “Of course.”

I raised an eyebrow, side eying him before I took a sip of my hot chocolate, setting the goblet back on the wood of the table. 

The clock struck twelve-thirty, alerting the students that it was time to gather at the gates. The Great Hall was filled with the sounds of students getting up, pushing their plates and goblets to the center of the tables. The Slytherin group followed, but Malfoy ended up hanging behind to stack a few plates before he shoved them to the middle. To help the elves out, I guessed.

Jack pulled a green and silver beanie over his head, tugging it down past his ears. The weather was about the same as it was for the game. Clear and sunny, but still bitterly cold because of the wind. The group of us joined the crowd leaving the Great Hall, leaving the grounds. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to preserve as much body heat as possible.

The walk to Hogsmeade was much shorter than I expected, the mass of students entering the village within fifteen minutes. As the students broke off to enter various shops, the Slytherin group ended up gathering on the side of the cobblestone street.

“Malfoy and I are going to Honeydukes, do you guys want to come?” Pansy asked, standing close to Malfoy. He looked straight ahead, not even attempting to make a move onto her. I smirked, quickly covering it up by itching my nose with my gloved hand. 

“Oh, no, I think Olive, Jack and I are going to the Three Broomsticks,” Katie pouted her bottom lip out, pretending to be sad. Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise made a beeline to Spintwitches, wanting to see the newly released broomsticks. 

Pansy nodded, reaching up and grabbing Malfoy’s bicep, tugging him around and they walked away.

“Three Broomsticks is this way,” Katie said, gesturing back the way we came. Her hands were covered by mittens, her four fingers pointing together.

The three of us weaved our way back against the incoming crowd of students, sticking to the side of the street. 

Hogsmeade was decorated for the fall season, the lanterns holding wreaths that made of twisted brown twigs, acorns and brightly colored leaves. A few pumpkins scattered the entrances to the shops, some carved and some not. I saw a sign pointing toward Honeydukes that promised Halloween-themed candy, my attention grabbed by marshmallow ghosts that would involuntarily make you scream. 

Before I knew, I was being pulled into the shelter of the Three Broomsticks. Jack took off his hat, tucking it away in his coat pocket. The place was already bustling, both students and professors sat around the inn. A large fireplace was crackling in the middle of the large room, providing both warmth and an inviting aura. Katie spotted an empty table near one of the windows, grabbing both mine and Jack’s hands, yanking us over. We sat, Katie ordering butterbeers for the three of us. 

I slipped off my coat, the heat the large fire provided already making me hot. Draping it over the back of the worn-out chair, I took off my hat as well, folding it in half and placing it on the table. 

“How do you like Hogwarts so far, Jack?” Katie asked, leaning forward on her folded arms.

“I love it. So much better than Durmstrang,” Jack joked, making Katie laugh. He smiled at her, playing with the napkin holder that sat in the middle of the table. 

As he was busy with the holder, Katie shot me a look that read ‘get-out-of-here.’ I bit my bottom lip to keep myself from laughing, and I stood up, causing Jack to glance up at me.

“Restroom,” I explained, side-stepping behind Jack’s chair, leaving the two of them together. Once I was standing, I realized I had no idea where the restroom was, so I walked toward the back corner of the inn, hoping I was going the right way. 

Once I saw the sign that pointed to the ladies room, I sighed in relief, pushing the door open and letting myself in. I stood in the restroom for a few moments, wanting to give Katie and Jack as much alone time as I could. 

A few minutes later, I opened the door, slinking out of the restroom. As I turned, I ran face first into another body, stumbling back. 

“Jesus,” I muttered, blinking a couple times to regain my balance. I looked up, seeing Malfoy staring back down at me. He had taken off the fur hat he had on earlier, clutching it in his right hand. 

He didn’t apologize, instead making a move for the men’s room. I suddenly realized that if he was here, then Pansy must be also.

“Wait, why aren’t you at Honeydukes?” I asked, stepping to the side to let a Ravenclaw into the girl’s bathroom. Malfoy followed my lead, and we stood at the end of the hallway. The noise from the inn was muffled, and the hallway was weakly lit by a small chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

“Uh, I dunno. Pansy decided she didn’t want anything,” he shrugged and I nodded, frowning. 

“Is she sitting with Jack and Katie?” I asked, praying he would say no. Instead, he shrugged again, reaching up and combing his fingers through his hair, fixing a couple pieces that had been flattened by his hat.

“I went to the bathroom as soon as we got here,” he said, glancing down the hallway. I sighed, looking down at my boots. 

“Well, feel free to join us when you’re done,” I nodded my head toward the men’s room and Malfoy gave me a weird look, before exhaling sharply through his nose in a weak laugh. I smiled, turning on my heel and walking down the hallway back to the inn, leaving Malfoy behind.

When I returned to the table, Pansy had stolen the seat next to Katie, and was talking to Jack. Katie looked up at me as I approached, shooting me daggers with her eyes. I mouthed an apology as I sat down next to Jack, reaching for the butterbeer that had come while I was gone. 

Jack’s was already half-gone, so I assumed it must be good. Hesitantly, I brought the mug to my lips, taking a small sip. The foam collected on my upper lip, my tongue darting out and licking it clean. 

Malfoy joined us a few moments later, hanging his jacket and hat on the coat rack that was standing near our table. Seconds later, Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise came through the inn’s doors, trudging towards the table once they spotted us. Pulling up some more chairs from adjacent tables, the eight of us crowded around the tiny table.

Crabbe started complaining about how he had accidentally forgotten his money in his dormitory, upset that he couldn’t buy any of the new Halloween candy. In an effort to shut him up, Malfoy reached into his pocket and retrieved a bag of galleons, shoving them into Crabbe’s hand. I cocked my eyebrow, watching Crabbe take it and then leave with Blaise and Goyle. 

Pansy was telling us about the Christmas holiday that her parents had planned, bragging about the tropical island she was going to go to. I rolled my eyes, focusing on twisting my empty butterbeer mug between my palms. 

“Hey, wanna go to Honeydukes?” Jack leaned down as Katie was asking Pansy questions about the vacation.

“Please,” I practically begged, dying to get out of the inn. 

Jack stood, stretching his arms out before grabbing his jacket and shrugging it on.

“Olive and I are going to Honeydukes,” he announced, zipping his jacket up. 

“I’ll join you two,” Malfoy butted in, standing as well. My gaze snapped to him, a bit annoyed that he invited himself. 

“Um, okay,” Katie said, looking over at Pansy. “Pansy and I were planning to go to the quill shop anyway.”

I scooted my chair back, standing and pulling my jacket up my arms, zipping it closed. I said goodbye to Pansy and Katie as I left the table, following Malfoy and Jack. 

As soon as we left the inn, the wind lashed brutally at my face, causing me to retreat my neck into my jacket as much as I could. Shoving my hands into my pocket, I jogged a couple steps to catch up with the boys, walking on Jack’s right. 

It was only the first weekend of October, I surely didn’t expect it to be this cold. 

Malfoy led us to Honeydukes, passing by Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise on the way there. Jack held the door open, letting Malfoy and I in first before he followed us. The candy store was packed with students, all buying enough sweets to last them until the next Hogsmeade visit.

“Come on, the good stuff is back here,” Malfoy gestured with his head, and Jack and I followed him, weaving our way through other students. 

I ended up picking up a couple chocolate frogs, mostly due to my aunt’s recommendations. Malfoy told me I had to try a few of his favorites, and those ended up in my basket as well. Jack threw in candy after candy into his basket, not caring about the price. Thirty minutes later, after waiting in the long queue, the boys and I had purchased our candy and were leaving the store. It was nearly four in the afternoon, the early sunset starting to set on the village.

Lights flickered on, both in the upper stories of the shops and in the strands criss-crossing over the cobblestone streets. Puffs of smoke came out of chimneys, rising high into the air before dissipating. 

“I swear, it has to be below freezing,” Jack complained, huffing dramatically just to see his breath. I nodded, agreeing with him. I was frozen to the bone, and I just wanted to crawl into my bed.

The three of us heard screaming from down the street, several students running our direction. I didn’t even have time to process what was happening before I felt a hand reach out and grab the sleeve of my jacket, yanking me back into Honeydukes. I stumbled, my boots getting caught up on the uneven cobblestone. Once I was safely inside the store, I squinted, trying to see what the other students were running from. 

I gasped when I realized. Dementors were floating down Hogsmeade’s main street, and a good amount of them at that. I swear, there must’ve been a hundred. They passed the students, who were clearly not what they were looking for. I squeezed my eyes shut, my heart pounding as hard as it did on the train. I pressed my back up against the chest of the person who had pulled me into Honeydukes, assuming it was Jack. 

I felt Jack’s hand grab my upper arm, holding my tightly against him. He buried his face into my shoulder, no doubt not wanting to look at the dementors that were approaching Honeydukes. The students inside the shop had gone quiet, and the shop-owner had turned the lights off and locked the door, but I wasn’t sure if that was going to hold. I whimpered, my hand coming up and clasping the top of Jack’s. 

I kept my eyes closed until the shop-owner announced that the dementors had passed, saying it must’ve just been a check for Sirius Black. As the lights turned back on, I opened my eyes, immediately making eye contact with Jack. Confused, I looked down at the hand I was clutching, suddenly realizing it was Malfoy’s pale one. I gasped, immediately letting go and wiggling myself out of his hold. He avoided my gaze, instead looking around at the bowls of candy that had gotten knocked over in the chaos.

I didn’t say anything, and neither did Malfoy.

“Are you alright?” Jack asked, his eyes sweeping over me. I nodded, swallowing thickly and forcing a smile.

Although I had only seen dementors twice, it was still two times too many. Jack seemed to understand, and he pulled me into a hug, letting me bury my face into his jacket. I stayed like that for a second, comforted by his strong hold. 

I leaned back, breaking out of the hug and Jack let his arms fall back down to his sides. 

“I think we should probably be getting back,” Malfoy cleared his throat before he spoke. I turned, but he was still avoiding my gaze. 

“Yeah, let’s go find the rest,” Jack suggested, and the three of us left, walking to the Three Broomsticks. Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise joined us when they retreated out of a dark alleyway, a bit shaken up. The quill shop was on the way to the Three Broomsticks, and Katie and Pansy crossed the street when they saw us.

Nobody spoke about the dementors on the walk back, the professors walking on the outskirts of the group of students, like they were herding us back to Hogwarts. 

We found ourselves in the Slytherin common room twenty-five minutes later, splitting off to return to our respective dormitories. I dumped my bag of candy on my nightstand, not having the stomach for chocolate anymore. The three of us dressed into our pajamas, wrapping ourselves up in blankets. Katie, Pansy and I talked until we became tired, which was around ten o’clock. Saying goodnight to one another, we all fell asleep fairly quickly, completely exhausted from Hogsmeade.

\---

The next morning, I was sitting next to Jack in potions as usual. Snape was at the front of the room, flipping through the exams we had taken on Friday. I eyed him, bouncing my leg on the floor anxiously. Malfoy and Crabbe entered the room, sitting down behind us. Malfoy and I hadn’t talked since Honeydukes, the walk back to Hogsmeade was quiet and quick as the dementors had traumatized a good amount of students.

“I’m glad to see you all here this morning on time, I heard about Hogsmeade,” Snape addressed the class, clutching the stack of parchment against his chest. A few students mumbled back as Snape’s eyes swept over the class. “I have your exam from Friday.”

Snape began to walk up and down the aisles, starting on the other side of the classroom. It was my first Potions exam of the year, and I spent countless hours studying for it. He handed each student their test, occasionally tutting his tongue and causing a student to groan as they took their parchment.

Snape winded around the tables, eventually on our row. He handed Jack’s back first, Jack immediately flipping through the exam to see what he missed.

Snape’s fingers plucked my exam from the small pile he had left, handing it to me upside down. My stomach dropped, taking it from him and sneaking a peek at the score. I got an eighty-six percent, which was better than I had expected. Snape paused before continuing to Malfoy and Crabbe, staring down at me.

“Miss Wilkinson, if you would please see me during lunch,” Snape muttered, so low that only I could hear.

“Yes, sir,” I nodded, fiddling with the parchment in my hands. Snape gave me a final nod before he passed me, handing Malfoy and Crabbe their tests. 

The rest of the lesson consisted of Snape lecturing, giving us a couple days off of making potions. When the clock tower rang, indicating the end of class, I stood, shoving my test into my schoolbag. As I pushed my stool in, I looked down at Malfoy’s table out of sheer curiosity, seeing his test lying face up. A hundred percent. Malfoy must’ve seen me looking, as he snatched up the test before I could even say anything.

We were still working on the Cheering Charm in Charms, so the class wasn’t extremely difficult today. In fact, Flitwick let us play games for the last twenty minutes. Jack had been teaching me to play Wizard’s Chess in our free time, so we picked up a game as we waited for the bell to ring. I was a little nervous about what Snape had to say, so I tried to keep my mind off it.

I waved goodbye to Jack as he left for the Great Hall and I walked back to the dungeons. Once I reached Snape’s office, the door was open like it had been at the beginning of the school year.

I rapped my knuckles on the doorframe before I entered, poking my head in. Malfoy was facing away from me, sitting at the chair that sat across from Snape’s desk. He turned once he heard me knocking, and Snape looked up as well. He nodded, permitting me to enter the office. I slunk in, wringing my hands around the straps of my schoolbag. 

Since Snape didn’t have any other chairs, I stood awkwardly next to Malfoy, leaning my weight onto my right hip. Snape got right to the point as he leaned back in his chair, the worn leather squeaking a bit.

“Over the past few weeks, you’ve undoubtedly proved herself in my class. I don’t think it’s necessary for Mr. Malfoy to tutor you anymore,” Snape addressed me.

I nodded, biting my lip. “Thank you, sir.”

I was about to turn and leave his office, before Malfoy cleared his throat and spoke. “With all due respect, sir, she only got an eighty-six on the exam.”

My eyebrows knitted together as I looked down at him, but his eyes were focused on Snape. I couldn’t tell if I was pissed at Malfoy for essentially calling me dumb, or if I was just confused that he was attempting to keep tutoring going. I looked over at Snape, whose gaze darted from me to Malfoy.

“Well, I suppose if you have the time, Mr. Malfoy, you two can continue. You won’t get any more house points, however.” 

My eyes widened when Snape mentioned the house points, I hadn’t even known Malfoy was getting any. I was still more confused as to why Malfoy wanted to continue to tutor me, though.

“Miss Wilkinson?” Snape asked, and my gaze shot up to meet his perplexed look. He was asking if I agreed, and I cleared my throat, nodding yes a bit too vigorously.

“Uh, yeah. I’m okay with that,” I answered, drawing my mouth into a tight line.

“That’s all, return to lunch,” Snape dismissed us, and I muttered a quick “thanks” before turning and walking out of his office. Malfoy caught up with me a few moments later, his leather bag swinging back and forth over this shoulder.

“You were getting house points for it?” I asked through the side of my mouth, refusing to look at him.

“I-” Malfoy sucked in a breath, pausing for a moment to think about what to say. “Uh, yeah. I was. But it’s a common thing here, a lot of tutors from all the houses receive points.” He tried to make it sound better, and I shook my head, just brushing it off. It wasn’t that big of a deal, I just wish I would’ve known earlier.

“Well, if I would’ve known, I would’ve recommended that we had more sessions. I want Slytherin to win the house cup this year,” I shrugged, stepping up the first few stone stairs. The conversation ended there, Malfoy coming to a stop before turning to the common room. I walked to the Great Hall alone, sitting with Jack once I got there.

He was practically shoving a sandwich in his mouth, his eyes sweeping over his arithmancy notes.

“Hey,” I said gently, breaking him out of his reading trance. He looked up, swallowing the bite he had just taken before laying his notes back down on the table.

“Hey,” he responded, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. He told me about the arithmancy test he had after lunch, which was why he was cramming.

“Um, I don’t know exactly how to ask this,” Jack started, causing me to give him a weary look. He set his sandwich down before he continued, resting his hands on his trousers. “Does Katie like me or something?”

I opened my mouth, trying to figure out what to say. I wasn’t sure if Katie wanted him to know, so I opted for not telling him.

“Oh, um,” I bit my lip. “I think she was just annoyed with Pansy.” Perfect. Didn’t exactly say no, but I didn’t say yes either.

I gave Jack a reassuring smile, to which he nodded slowly, taking in my answer. His eyes traced a pattern in the table before he looked up. 

“Aren’t we all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy friday!!
> 
> also thank you all so much for 2000 hits, I can't believe it!!


	11. chapter ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lil bit of Malfoy POV in this one lololol

Monday was a crisp, cool October morning. As it was a week out from Halloween, Dumbledore had allowed the decoration of Hogwarts a couple days ago. The tables in the Great Hall were littered with pumpkins, gourds and squashes. Pumpkin juice and other autumn food had begun to be served at meals. Some professors, like Lupin and Flitwick, had lightly decorated their classrooms, putting the students in a better mood as the term trudged along. 

Over the weeks, I had found a small tower in the southern side of Hogwarts, hidden away from the main hallways. Currently, I was sitting on the window sill, a piece of parchment on my lap. I readjusted the book I had underneath, crossing my left leg under my right, which was dangling off the ledge. 

Twirling my quill around my fingers, I glanced out the window, looking out into the foliage that surrounded Hogwarts. Reds, oranges and yellows morphed together, stretching out as far as I could see. 

“”Dear Aunt Beth,”” I started, the tip of the quill gliding over the parchment. I flicked the ‘h,’ my hand hovering in the air as I thought about what to write.

“”Happy Halloween! I’m not sure when you’ll receive this, but I thought I would say it anyway. 

We went to Hogsmeade a couple weekends ago. I bought some of the chocolate frogs that you recommended, they were really good.”” 

I laughed under my breath as I wrote. I had ended up eating all of them in one sitting, the cards piled up on my nightstand.

“”I passed my first potions exam! I’m feeling pretty confident about potions, I think I’ve decided on a broom for Christmas. Thank you in advance!”

I drew a small heart afterwards, knowing she would catch onto the joke. I ended the letter with a few more sentences telling her about the rest of my classes.

Glancing down at my watch, I saw that I had twenty-five minutes until I had to be in potions. I pushed off the window ledge, my feet hitting the ground loudly and echoing through the small tower. Grabbing my bookbag, I shoved the book, letter and quill into it, hauling it onto my shoulder as I ran out of the tower. If I hurried, I could send the letter before class.

I beelined it to the owlery, waving hello to a couple people I had come to meet over the past few weeks. Athena was sleeping on a perch when I arrived, her eyes slowly blinking open as she ruffled her feathers. I fed her a handful of pellets, tying my letter to her leg afterwards. Sending her off, I scratched a few other owls before I left, to which they hooted back happily.

My feet carried me quickly down the steps, my boots hitting the stone in quick succession. I practically ran to the dungeons, just barely making it in the door before class started. Jack looked over as I collapsed into the stool, my schoolbag hitting the floor seconds after.

Potions consisted mainly of lecture, Snape telling us that we would make a potion in the next class. Given that it was a bit more than halfway through October, Hogwarts had a break in the term before exams started up again for a second round. My head rested on my fist for most of the lecture, scribbling small drawings on the edges of my notes. Snape droned on and on, and I caught Jack yawning a couple times.

Charms started with Flitwick announcing that he had decided to replace a second exam for a partner project. He paired us up with our table partners, going over the project quickly. The rest of class was filled with students practicing the seize and pull charm, one that we had started the previous week. Flitwick had various fruits and vegetables scattered around the tables that we were to practice with. 

“Carpe retractum!” I tried, pointing my wand at an orange. It rolled a centimeter before coming to a rest and I groaned, huffing and leaning back in my chair. 

“Carpe retractum!” Jack repeated after me, the same orange flying into his open, waiting hand. I crossed my arms in a small protest, my wand sticking out underneath my left elbow. 

I glanced around the room, finding Flitwick, making sure he was out of earshot. “This is stupid,” I muttered, and Jack chuckled.

I tried again, yanking my wand back once the charm hit the orange. It worked, but the orange flew over my shoulder, landing on the table behind me. 

The two Ravenclaws gave me dirty looks as I turned, reaching out and grabbing the orange. I raised my eyebrows quickly in an aggressive manner, shooting them a glare. Rolling my eyes, I turned around, dropping the orange on the table. 

Malfoy and Blaise were successfully performing the charm in front of us, pulling apple after apple into their hands. Flitwick quieted down the class, beginning to lecture on the applications of the charm.

I tuned out, my brain too tired to process anything more until after lunch. I rested my chin on my palm, leaning on the table. I was trying to pay attention to Flitwick, but got distracted by Malfoy hunched over, scribbling something on a small sheet of parchment. He folded it up, sitting up straight. 

I saw his head turn toward Flitwick, no doubt checking if he was looking at Malfoy. Flitwick began pacing at the front of the classroom, and Malfoy waited until his back was to our side of the class. I narrowed my eyes, trying to see what Malfoy was doing.

Bringing an intricately folded swan to his lips, the wings began to flap and he blew gently, sending it off. I watched as it flew to the left, eventually landing on Pansy’s desk. I felt my cheeks grow hot, and as much as I told myself to look away, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Pansy’s fingers picked up the paper swan, looking over in the direction it came from. Malfoy looked back at Flitwick, who was still talking. I gripped my wand tighter, my fingernails digging into my palm. Pansy carefully unopened the paper, smiling at the message. 

Finally, I tore my gaze away, suddenly extremely interested in what Flitwick was saying. I clenched my jaw, my teeth grinding together. As much as I didn’t want to, I kept thinking about what Malfoy could have possibly written to Pansy. 

The clock tower eventually rang, and I shot out of my chair, the legs screeching across the ground. I shoved my wand into the pocket of my robes, storming out of the classroom. Blaise gave Jack a questioning look, but Jack just shrugged. 

It could’ve just been me overthinking about Malfoy and Pansy, but I had lost my appetite for lunch. I was debating whether or not to go back to my dormitory, but Jack called me out of my thoughts.

“Whoa there, Olive. You alright?” he asked, concern laced throughout his face. Blaise was next to him, a smirk on his face, like he thought this was funny. 

“Uh, yeah,” I nodded, reaching up and running a hand through my hair. “Yeah.” I reaffirmed, more to myself than to Jack. 

He looked over my face once before, but was convinced and nodded. “Let’s get lunch, yeah?” he asked, using his head to gesture towards the group of Slytherins that were waiting by the top of the staircase. Pansy was standing next to Malfoy, her arm brushing up against his. I swallowed thickly at the sight, my stomach feeling like it dropped through the ground and into the dungeons. 

“Yeah,” I looked back at Jack, smiling at him. Before he could say anything else, my hand jutted out, wrapping around his wrist and pulling him towards the group. Once they saw us coming, most of them turned and started down the staircase.

I let go of Jack’s wrist once we were descending the steps, ignoring the gaze I could feel on the side of my face.

Lunch was pot pies, as Hogwarts had been offering more comfort foods as the weather got worse. I picked at mine, using my fork to repeatedly stab the top of the crust, making a grid with the four indents. If only this was Pansy’s face…

“So, whataya think for the Charms project?” Jack asked, causing me to stop the stabbing. His eyes looked down at the mangled crust for a second, before back up at me. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he changed the subject, dropping his voice low. The rest of the group was engaged in a lively conversation, so I wasn’t worried about them hearing. I set down my fork on my plate, clasping my hands together in my lap.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” I laughed light-heartedly, wanting Jack to drop it. 

“You basically just committed first-degree murder on that crust,” Jack nodded with his head, and I rolled my eyes. 

“I’m fine, Jack,” I reassured him.

I forced myself to avoid looking at Malfoy for the rest of lunch, and was relieved when it finally ended. I grabbed Katie’s hand, yanking her out of the Great Hall and towards Muggle Studies. Both Muggle Studies and Transfiguration went quickly, McGonagall assigning a short essay that was to be due at the beginning of next class. 

I had significantly calmed down since lunch, and Malfoy hadn’t even been on my mind for the last three hours. 

“Hey, I was thinking about getting that Transfiguration essay out of the way. Do you wanna do it with me at the library?” Katie asked as we were leaving the classroom. I nodded, anything to keep me out of the common room.

Katie and I walked to the library, her telling me about the ski vacation her parents were planning on taking her and her brother on for Christmas.

I guess school had taken up most of my attention over the past few weeks, as my heart dropped once I heard her mention her parents. This was going to be my first Christmas without mine, just Aunt Beth and I hanging out at the house. Katie continued to talk about this resort in Switzerland, but my mind was filled with thoughts of my parents. I blinked a few times, praying that the tears that were threatening to spill wouldn’t.

We entered the library within a couple minutes, immediately finding a table near the back. Dropping into the chairs, I tossed my robe over the chair next to me and pulled out my Transfiguration book. McGonagall had wanted us to write a summary of the Felifors spell, which we would be learning about next week. 

Katie and I read in silence for a few moments, becoming familiar with the spell before we decided to start the essay.

“So, Felifors is only to turn cats into cauldrons, but you can use different derivations of the spell to turn other animals into cauldrons?” Katie asked, scrunching her nose up as she read through the example table of the various animals and their respective spells. 

“Yeah, I think so,” I agreed, my eyes scanning over the table as well. 

“You think we could turn cat-form McGonagall into a cauldron?” Katie snorted as she wrote her name on her parchment. I laughed, imagining it.

After Katie and I talked about the spell a bit more, the essay came easily and we finished within forty-five minutes.

Katie moved on to her arithmancy homework, and I started to review the potion that Snape was going to have us make on Wednesday. 

Two hours later, we were burnt out and decided to call it a night. 

\---

Hagrid seriously had us working with flobberworms at nine in the goddamn morning. I groaned as he led us to the raised garden boxes in front of his hut, the students gathering around. The flobberworms were digging through the dirt, their mucus trailing behind them. Holding in a gag, I scrunched up my nose in disgust, causing Jack to chuckle beside me. 

After saying a few words, Hagrid let us loose to work with them. He gave us hints on what to focus on for future tests, such as the consistency of the mucus and what they liked to eat. Flobberworms were coincidentally the grossest and worst thing in the class so far. Part of me felt bad, I could tell that Hagrid wanted to play the class safe since the Buckbeak versus Malfoy fiasco. 

I paired up with Jack, who was voluntarily holding a sizable worm in his hands, the sticky goop dripping between his fingers.

“I swear, Jack, I will throw up,” I winced, looking away from the worm. Playfully, Jack waved it in front of my face, causing me to gasp, flinching away.

Malfoy looked up from across the box, where he had been poking at the dirt with a stick. Jack’s laugh was contagious, and I found myself laughing as well within a few seconds. Malfoy glared at us, and I wiped a stray tear away, sighing to calm myself down from the laughing fit. 

I took notes as Jack told me what the mucus felt like, holding the flobberworm in one hand as he rubbed the slime between his fingers. I gasped again as Jack reached out, trying to swipe the mucus across my cheek. I punched him in the arm, not caring if it was too hard. Jack bursted out into laughter again, causing Malfoy to look over again.

“Do you two mind?” he snapped, shooting Jack a glare. 

“What crawled up your ass and died, Malfoy?” Jack retorted, letting the flobberworm back into the dirt. 

Malfoy didn’t say anything, instead picking up a smaller worm, pinching it between his thumb and forefinger. I rolled my eyes, looking back down at my notes. 

Malfoy suddenly yelped, dropping the flobberworm and shaking out his hand. “The damn thing bit me!” His head spun around, no doubt trying to get Hagrid’s attention. 

“They don’t have teeth, Malfoy,” I scoffed, causing him to turn around again. He was now rubbing his finger with his other hand, a glare permanently set on his face.

“Well, that one did,” he tried again, getting flustered. 

“You really think daddy is going to believe you got bit by a worm?” I laughed bitterly, mocking Malfoy. He scowled, his eyes darting to Jack, who had a smirk on his face. 

“Want me to take you to Pomfrey’s?” Jack joined in, pouting out his bottom lip. “Does poor Malfoy need another sling?”

“Shut up,” Malfoy spat, turning on his heel and storming away. Jack and I fell into a fit of cackles, Crabbe leaving to follow Malfoy.

Hagrid never found out about Malfoy’s accusation, and I’m glad he didn’t. I just prayed that we were going to finish up with the flobberworms soon.

\---

I was laying on the couch in the common room after classes, reading through my potions textbook. This week, Snape had started us on antidotes, which was an important section for the class and was promised to be on final exams. 

I yawned, my eyes glazing over the procedure for an uncommon poisons antidote for what seemed like the hundredth time. Stretching my legs, I rolled onto my stomach, leaning the textbook against the arm of the couch. 

A pair of shoes entered my vision, making me look up to find Malfoy staring back down at me. 

“What do you want,” I huffed, looking back down at my textbook.

“Snape wanted me to go over antidotes with you,” he said gruffly, sitting down on the couch arm, which forced me to move my book. I sat up, closing my book and resting it on my lap.

“Why?” I raised my eyebrow, not believing Malfoy. “Isn’t this your first time on antidotes, too?”

“I dunno,” Malfoy shrugged, only answering my first question. He impatiently began tapping his knee with his fingers. 

“Fine,” I groaned, standing up. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to walk into class tomorrow extra prepared.

“We can use his classroom again, the library was pretty full when I left,” Malfoy said, standing as well. He readjusted his bag, his hand coming to rest on the strap. 

Malfoy and I left for the potions classroom, arriving in a couple minutes due to its proximity to the common room. I pushed the door open, letting myself in before holding the door for Malfoy. 

The room was even colder in the fall months, especially with the lack of body heat that a full class usually provided. I shivered, rubbing my arms after I set down my bag. Malfoy sat down on a stool, flipping through his textbook until he opened to the antidotes section. 

I sat across the table from him, doing the same.

“Did Snape say uncommon or common poisons?” Malfoy asked, his fingers flipping between the two sections.

“Uncommon for tomorrow, common is supposed to be next week,” I answered, not looking at him.

“You know, I don’t understand how one potion can reverse so many,” I huffed, leaning forward on the table and covering my face with my hands.

“That’s the point of the lecture. For Snape to tell us how,” Malfoy said coldly, and I scoffed, dropping my hands from my face.

I didn’t say anything else, the two of us reading silently for the next fifteen minutes. Clearing my throat, I decided to break the silence.

“Uh, are you doing anything fun for Christmas break?” I asked, shoving my textbook away from me a couple inches. He waited a couple moments, thinking.

“No,” he answered simply, his gaze not lifting from the textbook.

“Your father isn’t taking you on some grand, expensive vacation?” I scoffed, not believing it. Malfoy’s jaw tightened, and I immediately regretted what I said.

“Shut up, Wilkinson,” he muttered under his breath, and I could tell that it was taking everything for him to keep his cool right now. I mumbled an apology, looking back down at my textbook. The sentences mixed together, and I had no intent on actually reading. We went another long, awkward fifteen minutes without talking. 

I sighed, leaning back. “This is pointless, Malfoy,” I admitted, gesturing down to my textbook. I hadn’t gotten anything done since I came into the classroom with him, I was better off studying by myself. 

He finally looked up, his expression unreadable. His lips were pulled into a tight line, his normally bright gray eyes dull and sullen. I sucked in a breath, suddenly realizing that this was the first time I had taken in his appearance today. A pang of sympathy shot through my heart, but I brushed it off, not sure what to do.

“Uh, I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” I excused myself, grabbing my schoolbag from the ground. I didn’t make an effort to stow away my potions textbook, instead clutching it against my chest as I ran out of the classroom. I heard the door swing shut behind me, but I didn’t look back.

\---

Malfoy’s POV

My father had sent me an owl yesterday, instructing me to do whatever I could to get Hagrid fired from Hogwarts. There were complications happening within the Ministry about what to do about Buckbeak, so my father was looking for anything else that he could use against the big oaf. I was sitting on my bed, rereading the letter he had sent.

“Come on, Malfoy! Magical Creatures begins in ten minutes,” Crabbe said from the other side of the dormitory, snapping my attention from the letter. He was waiting by the door, his schoolbag crossed over his chest.

“Coming,” I muttered, stowing the letter under my pillow and grabbing my bag before following Crabbe out of the dormitory. 

Flobberworms had been Hagrid’s main source of instruction since Buckbeak, and it was absolutely mind-numbing. They were the most boring, uneventful creatures I had ever seen. I didn’t want to disappoint my father, though, so I had been researching endlessly about any dangers of the worm. 

There were essentially none, though. The ministry had even classified them in the lowest possible rank, which made my job all that much harder. 

My mind was still flipping through the scenarios that I had thought of when Jack and Olive started laughing obnoxiously. 

“I swear, Jack. I will throw up,” Olive said through laughs, holding her hands up in defense as Jack waved the flobberworm toward her. 

“Do you two mind?” I snapped so forcefully, even Crabbe flinched beside me. Olive’s laugh faded as she shot me a glare.

“What crawled up your ass and died, Malfoy?” Jack snickered, releasing his flobberworm into the dirt. It flopped around helplessly, trying to find a hole to burrow into. These things really were completely useless.

A smaller one was squirming around in front of me, so I picked it up, twisting it so I could get a better look.

“Green mucus…” Crabbe mumbled beside me, scribbling down his observation on a sheet of parchment. I rolled my eyes, opening my palm and letting the worm crawl into it. I hesitated for a second, biting my lip before I yelped out in fake pain. I let the worm fall back into the dirt, it bouncing just once before landing in the dirt. 

I shook my hand dramatically, hoping it would catch Hagrid’s attention. Olive and Jack looked up, wondering what had happened.

“The damn thing bit me!” I cried, turning around to see if Hagrid had seen. The oaf was facing the other direction, helping out another group. I flared my nostrils in annoyance, turning back around. 

“They don’t have teeth, Malfoy,” Olive scoffed, shaking her head. I rubbed my finger, pretending to nurse the fake bite. Of course they don’t have teeth, genius. Glaring at her, I tried to think of what to do next. 

“Well, that one did,” I attempted once more, hoping that Hagrid had finally overheard and I could accuse him of endangering students.

“You really think daddy is going to believe you got bit by a worm?” Olive continued, laughing bitterly. I grinded my teeth together, preventing myself from biting back at her. 

“Want me to take you to Pomfrey’s?” Jack added, mocking me. “Does poor Malfoy need another sling?” 

I could feel anger bubbling through my veins, so I spat at them to shut up before I stormed off. Part of me was angry with the two of them, but the other half was angry with myself for not pulling this off. I dreaded the letter I would inevitably have to send back home, letting my father know that I couldn’t do what he asked.

\---

I busied myself with homework after classes, anything to keep myself from having to write that damn letter. Once I had finished with my main classes, I returned to the common room. I was planning to head straight to bed, but Olive caught my attention as I entered. She was sprawled out on one of the leather couches, holding the potions textbook above her head. I watched as she flipped onto her stomach, not noticing I was there. 

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to decide what to do. If I tutored her, I could tell my father the letter was a day late because of schoolwork. My feet carried me to her before my brain gave the green light.

She looked up, her eyes meeting mine. I cleared my throat, suddenly aware that I had to speak. Olive spoke before I got the chance to, though.

“What do you want,” she huffed, looking back down at her textbook. 

“Snape wanted me to go over antidotes with you,” I lied, lowering my voice to mask it. I couldn’t tell her about my father, so I figured it was a safer reason, one that she would believe. I sat down on the arm of the couch, my bag dangling between my knees.

“Why?” she eyed me wearily. “Isn’t this your first time on antidotes, too?”

I shrugged. “I dunno.” Truthfully, I had learned about antidotes weeks ago, finding Snape’s review of second-year material boring.

When she didn’t respond, I got fidgety, my hand tapping on my knee. After a few moments, she agreed and stood, gathering her things. We walked to the potions classroom, and I let the door fall shut after us. Choosing a table in the middle, I tossed my bag down, pulling out the textbook and sitting down.

We were quiet for a few minutes. I didn’t know what to say, it wasn’t “official” tutoring. Instead, my eyes read over the same few paragraphs repeatedly, the information already burned into my memory. I itched to say something, wanting to break the awkward silence.

“Did Snape say uncommon or common poisons?” I asked Olive, although I already knew the answer. Uncommon for tomorrow, common for next week.

Olive repeated what I had just thought, but she didn’t look at me. 

A few minutes later, she spoke again.

“You know, I don’t understand how one potion can reverse so many,” she let out an exasperated sigh, covering her face with her hands. What a stupid thought, I told myself.

“That’s the point of the lecture. For Snape to tell us how,” I reminded her, but it came out colder than I meant for it to. I bit my tongue to keep myself from saying anything else stupid.

Fifteen more silent minutes passed, the sound of the clock ticking growing increasingly louder. 

“Uh, are you doing anything fun for Christmas break?” she asked, shoving her textbook away. 

I hadn’t expected that question, and my mind ran through the previous Christmas breaks I had endured since I started at Hogwarts. The majority of the two weeks was spent in my room, hiding away from my father and his friends. I had never actually seen them, but their voices were loud, carrying through the empty halls of the manor. 

When I was younger, I had played board games with Dobby to pass the time, but as I got older, we had stopped. The boxes sat under my bed at home, collecting dust. 

“No,” I ended up saying, not looking up from the textbook. I blinked harshly, trying to refocus my mind.

“Your father isn’t taking you on some grand, expensive vacation?” Olive scoffed, and I felt my jaw tighten. This girl never knew when to shut up. I felt my breathing pick up like it had in Magical Creatures, and I closed my eyes, bowing my head further downwards.

“Shut up, Wilkinson,” I muttered quietly, my grip on the corner of the potions textbook tightening. I thought I heard Olive mumble an apology, but my mind was racing too fast for me to clearly hear.

Another long fifteen minutes passed, the only sounds in the room were those of us flipping pages.

Wilkinson leaned back, the stool creaking. “This is pointless, Malfoy,” she breathed out. I looked up, my mouth set into a firm line. My mind was still filled with thoughts of my father, especially after she had brought up Christmas. Olive’s eyes widened for a second, causing my eyebrows to knit together in confusion. 

“Uh, I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” she excused herself, grabbing her schoolbag from the ground. She picked her potions textbook up, holding it against her chest as she rounded the corner of the table, rushing out of the classroom. I didn’t turn, hearing the classroom door swing shut behind her. 

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. Dropping my face into my hands, I took a few deep breaths, pulling myself together. I sighed, sitting up and dragging my hands down my face, before resting my jaw on my palms.

I don’t know why, but I wished Olive hadn’t left me alone.


	12. chapter eleven

Katie, Pansy, and I were practically running to the Great Hall, extremely excited for the Halloween feast to begin. Halloween had fallen on a Saturday this year, so this morning was spent studying for the upcoming second round of exams. After five hours of staring at nothing but textbooks, notes, and essays, we were more than ready to eat.

As we entered, I slowed and looked up at the ceiling. It had been spelled to look like a night sky, a few shooting stars crossing over. The Big Dipper caught my eye easily, the well-known constellation large and bright. Over the past couple months, Hagrid had been growing pumpkins in the patch adjacent to his hut. They had been harvested and rolled into the Great Hall, carved into faces and lit up with candles. Real bats hung from the ceiling, occasionally shuddering and shaking out their wings. The large chandeliers lit up the room with a soft glow, giving the Great Hall a cozy, warm feel. Alongside the food, cauldrons filled with candy dotted the tables.

“Come on, Olive!” I heard Katie call. I looked down from the ceiling, seeing her standing by the Slytherin table and waving me over. Grinning, I ran over, collapsing on the bench between Katie and Jack. 

Crabbe and Goyle were already eating candy, a few wrappers littered around the table in front of them. Pansy screeched as a bat flew down, mere inches from her head. She swatted the air in an attempt to knock it away, but it was already long gone.

“I heard the ghosts are putting on some kind of show,” Jack said beside me, spreading butter on a bread roll. 

“Yeah, Dumbledore enchanted skeletons to dance last year,” Blaise added from Jack’s right, leaning over the table so he could see me.

I was ripping open a roll, but paused. “Were they real?” my eyes widened in disbelief, slightly grossed out if they were. Then again, I never found out if the skulls in the Slytherin common room were real or not.

“I dunno,” Blaise shrugged, and went back to his dinner.

“Wicked,” Jack breathed out, obviously thinking it was cool. I raised an eyebrow at him, placing down the bottom half of the roll and beginning to butter the other. 

The Bloody Baron floated by, his chains dragging along the stone floor behind him. He eventually rested next to Malfoy, coming to a stop. Malfoy scooted away from him, shooting the ghost a glare. I saw Malfoy’s shoulders jump in a shiver as the Baron eventually moved on, heading toward the seventh-years. 

The Great Hall was filled with laughter and conversation, students and professors relaxing after a long schoolweek. Even Snape looked like he was enjoying himself as he was talking to McGonagall.

“Stop it, Crabbe!” Pansy squealed, slapping Crabbe’s hand away from where he was trying to stash unwrapped candies in the hood of her robe. Him and Goyle erupted in a fit of laughter, but they left Pansy alone.

I heard a cackle from above us, Peeves flying through the air. He flew through a group of bats, startling them and causing them to drop from the ceiling and flutter around the Slytherin table. Within a few seconds, the group had dissolved, Peeves’ laugh becoming fainter as he headed toward the Hufflepuff table.

“So annoying,” Katie muttered, shaking her head in disapproval. I laughed, watching the last of the bats fly away.

Fifteen minutes later, the ghosts gathered at the front of the Great Hall for a quick show. It was led by Nearly Headless Nick, who stood in front of the rest. The show was a comedy, the ghosts taking full advantage of their transparency in their jokes. Nick ended the show pretending to take off his head, the Gryffindor table jumping up applauding loudly. Crabbe even stood up with them, until Malfoy yanked him back down.

I was stuffed after the feast, my stomach full and happy. It had been the biggest meal since the first-day feast. Before we stood, Jack and I made sure to stuff our pockets full of candy. I pocketed a couple chocolate frogs, having taken a particular liking to them after Hogsmeade. The group of us walked back to the common room together, a group of first-year Slytherins in front of us.

“We could play Wizard’s Chess when we get back?” Jack asked the group, receiving a few head nods. 

The first-years came to a stop at the common room door, causing us to as well.

“I don’t know the password! They just changed it!” one whisper-yelled, throwing his hands up in the air.

“Well, I don’t know either, Charlie!” a girl snapped at him, glancing quickly over at us. The first-years didn’t move, huddled together. 

“For God’s sake,” Malfoy mumbled, pushing past them, making a few stumble back. “Horcrux,” he said, and the door appeared behind the stone wall.

The first-years mumbled a few “thanks” to Malfoy as they scurried past him, immediately disappearing into the boy’s and girl’s dormitories.

The group settled by the fire, collapsing down on the couches. I sat between the end of a couch and Jack, leaning on the arm. A box containing Wizard’s Chess was brought out from under the table, and Katie spread out the pieces, organizing them accordingly on each side of the board.

Malfoy, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle were on the other couch, Malfoy’s head in Pansy’s lap. Her fingers combed through his hair, twirling the ends. For some reason, Malfoy tended to only gel his hair during the week, sometimes leaving it messy on the weekends. My stomach seized, and I looked away. 

“Who wants to play first?” she asked, and Jack and Blaise volunteered themselves. 

Katie sat on the ground, her back leaning against the couch in front of me. 

“Pawn to A-four,” Jack called out, and the pawn moved smoothly across the board, coming to a stop in the square that Jack had specified.

Blaise copied his movement but with another pawn. Five minutes later, a few pawns on either team were knocked out, sitting alongside the board.

I snuck a glance at Malfoy, whose eyes were staring at the ceiling. Pansy was focused on the game, watching the pieces move as Jack and Blaise spoke.

“Knight to E-five,” Jack said after studying the board for a few seconds. The knight glided one space up and over two, and reared, knocking Blaise’s pawn off the board.

Katie and I laughed as the pawn rolled off, eventually standing back up as it joined the other pieces. 

Pretending to readjust on the couch, I stretched out my legs, resting them over Jack’s. He looked down, his hands eventually coming to rest on my knees. His eyes flicked back to the board, taking in Blaise’s recent move.

Malfoy had sat up, propping himself on his elbow as his legs dangled over the arm of the couch. His eyes glanced over and Jack and I, but I pretended not to notice. I smirked, and then giggled at Blaise’s queen hitting Jack’s bishop with her chair.

Jack ended up winning the game, causing Blaise to pout and call it luck.

“Malfoy? You wanna play?” Katie asked as she reset the board, glancing quickly over at him. He shook his head almost immediately, laying back down in Pansy’s lap.

“I hate games.”

I rolled my eyes, Malfoy being dramatic like he always was. Goyle and Katie picked up the next game instead, sitting on either sides of the table.

Katie hummed for a second, debating her next move. “Queen to E-seven,” she said slowly, like she wasn’t totally confident in her choice. The white queen turned to Katie, placing her hands on her hips and didn’t budge. Katie flushed in embarrassment, and ended up choosing to move her knight instead.

An hour later, everyone was fully in a food coma. Even I had almost nodded off a couple times, the arm of the couch becoming increasingly comfy. They had served roasted turkey at dinner, so I blamed it on that. We said our goodnights, splitting off into our dormitories. I yawned, following Katie and Pansy down the girl’s hallway.

“I think Malfoy is gonna ask me to come with him to the next Hogsmeade visit!” Pansy squealed once we shut our bedroom door, bouncing up and down with excitement. I faked a smile, it immediately dropping off my face as I turned toward my dresser, gathering my pajamas.

“That’s exciting,” Katie said politely, peeling her bedsheets back. 

“He’s just so cute,” Pansy continued swooning over Malfoy, falling onto her back on her bed. “Easily the cutest guy in Slytherin.”

“I dunno, Pansy. I think he might have some competition with Jack,” Katie laughed, folding her robes and stowing them away in a drawer. 

I rolled my eyes as I changed, not caring enough to properly put away my clothes. Letting them fall into a pile on the floor near my dresser, I collapsed onto my bed. 

“What do you think, Olive?” I heard Pansy say, and I lifted my head, looking across the room at her. A smug smirk sat on her face, just begging me to agree with her.

“Hmm,” I hummed, pretending to think. “I dunno, I think Oliver Wood is pretty cute.”

It wasn’t a lie, Wood was hot as hell, but I couldn’t give Pansy the satisfaction, and I felt weird about agreeing with Katie.

“He’s a Gryffindor!” Pansy scoffed, offended that I would’ve even thought to bring his name into it. “You can’t like one of them!” 

I laid back down on my bed, shrugging.

“Don’t work your pretty little brain too hard about it, Pansy,” I muttered, pulling my sheets over myself. I heard Katie snicker from her bed, before she covered it with a yawn. 

Pansy huffed, but she finally shut her mouth. I rolled over, facing the wall. I fell asleep quickly, but it was dreamless.

\---

The next couple weeks were packed with homework and exams. Most of the trees were now bare, the grass in the quad becoming a muted green color. Nearly every day, the clouds held Hogwarts in a cold, damp embrace. There was a Quidditch match against Hufflepuff this weekend, one of the few left before Christmas break. 

It was a Wednesday afternoon after classes, and I had been holed up in the library with Jack and Katie since I got released from my last class. I had a test in Transfiguration on Friday, and I had been studying extra hard for it. Potions had been going well, I had gotten an eighty-eight percent on the second exam. The tutoring sessions with Malfoy had slowed since the awkward one in the potions classroom, but I blamed it on the increase of work in all my other classes.

“Herbology is a pain in my ass,” Jack muttered, his notes scattered around the table in front of him. Katie laughed, offering to help him review a specific section. They fell into a hushed conversation, not wanting to bother those around us.

My eyes felt strained from reading the tiny text of my Transfiguration textbook, so I leaned back, blinking a couple times to rejuvenate them. I brought a hand up to my mouth to stifle a yawn, glancing over at the clock. It was nearly time for dinner, and I was starving. 

I managed to finish Transfiguration by the time dinner started, and the three of us packed our things and headed for the Great Hall. 

Due to the time of year, the sun was setting at around five in the evening, causing the hallways to be darker than normal. Although Filch had been lighting more candles and chandeliers, it seemed like they couldn’t keep up with the creeping shadows.

Jack, Katie and I chose a spot near the end of the Slytherin table, a group of sixth-years sitting a ways down. 

We made small talk while we ate, mostly complaining about classes. Jack had taken a particular dislike to Herbology, saying that it was a completely pointless class and joking that he should’ve stayed at Durmstrang.

“It’s snowing!” a boy cried out from the Ravenclaw table, standing up and pointing out the windows of the Great Hall. Sure enough, snowflakes were falling gently out of the black sky, coming to a rest on the ground outside. Nearly every student abandoned dinner, quickly rushing out to the quad. Grabbing our bags, Jack, Katie and I followed the crowd, who had dispersed around the yard. 

“Guys, Malfoy and the rest are over there,” Katie spotted Malfoy’s blonde hair, pulling Jack and I over. The snow was just barely accumulating on the ground, about an inch or so. 

Crabbe and Goyle had started a weak snowball fight, the balls just mere centimeters in diameter. I dodged a stray snowball as we walked over, it breaking on Jack’s cheek instead. Jack turned in confusion, his eyes landing on Goyle, whose mouth was hung open. Jack laughed playfully, reaching down to pack a tiny sphere, hurling it back at Goyle.

“Hey guys,” Katie greeted Malfoy and Blaise, who were standing on the edge of the quad, watching the other students run around in the snow. I adjusted my bag, running my hand down the strap before it came to stop on the buckle. Malfoy gave Katie a head nod of acknowledgment before he leaned over and whispered something to Blaise. 

Snowflakes had settled on Malfoy’s hair and eyelashes, the storm quickly becoming stronger. My eyes ran over Malfoy’s face, who was watching Crabbe nail Goyle in the forehead with a snowball.

I squatted, setting my bag down on the ground and then gathering some snow in my hands. Loosely packing it into a ball, I stood back up and shoved it into Jack’s forehead. His mouth immediately dropped open in shock, his bag hitting the grass seconds later. I laughed, backing up and holding my hands out in front of me as a defense.

Wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, Jack took a couple steps toward me, only causing me to laugh harder. 

“You’re so going to get it, Wilkinson,” he threatened, but it was followed with a laugh. He reached down, scooping snow into his hand and threw it at me. It hit me square in the face, causing me to close my eyes. I yelled for a truce, but Jack ignored it. Katie joined in, pulling the back of Jack’s robes and dumping a handful of snow down his back. The three of us continued to hurl snow at one another, our laughs mingling with those of the other students. 

A few minutes later, I tapped out, returning to the edge of the quad, where Blaise and Malfoy were still standing. I picked up my bag, brushing it free of snow and hung it on my shoulder.

“Geez, you guys look like Snape standing over here,” I joked, urging them to join in. I reached up and combed my fingers through my hair, hoping to shake some snow free. 

“It’s just snow,” Malfoy scoffed, shaking his head. Blaise didn’t say anything, his eyes trained on Katie as Jack hoisted her over his shoulder, her screaming quickly replaced by laughter.

“God forbid you have fun, Malfoy,” I retorted, an accidental snort escaping my nose. Malfoy shot me a glare before he turned and stormed out of the quad, shoving a Gryffindor first-year out of his way.

“What’s gotten into him?” I asked Blaise as I watched Malfoy disappear into the hallways, finally turning back once I couldn’t see him anymore.

“Dunno,” Blaise shrugged, watching him as well. He bent down and grabbed some snow, packing it before throwing it at Crabbe. It hit Crabbe in the back of the head, breaking apart once it made impact. Blaise and I laughed as Crabbe spun around, trying to find who threw it. 

We played in the snow until Filch came running out, yelling at us to go back to our respective common rooms. Students unwillingly left the quad, a chorus of groans heard as Filch continued to yell at us, ushering us back into the hallways. 

\---

It snowed throughout the night, blanketing Hogwarts by the next morning. Hagrid had cancelled Care of Magical Creatures, deeming it unsafe for us to walk down to his hut. Honestly, I guessed that he was scared that Malfoy would try to pull something again, and the ice gave him a perfect opportunity to fake a twisted ankle. 

I dressed in a heavy wool sweater and black pants, a slight chill running through the Slytherin dormitories. Katie and Pansy were still in bed, Katie muttering something about skipping all her classes for today. I considered it, but given my current grade in Dark Arts, I figured I should go. I could probably skip astronomy, though.

I slipped on my robes before I left the room, grabbing my schoolbag as well. The halls were fairly lonely as I walked to Lupin’s classroom, it seemed other students had decided to skip too. When I reached the classroom, only eight other students were sitting, all Ravenclaws. I slipped into my regular seat and waited for Lupin to begin.

Since it was a small class for today, Lupin let us mess around with the Cornish pixies. We had learned about them weeks ago, but he wanted to refrain from teaching any new material with more than half the class missing. 

I left the class with a headache, rubbing my temple. The pixies were interesting, but they were also annoying as hell. When I entered the Great Hall, I didn’t see anyone I knew at the Slytherin table, but I saw Ginny sitting by herself at the Gryffindor table, reading over something.

Deciding to sit with her, I walked over quickly, catching her attention.

“Hey, Olive,” she smiled, setting down the newspaper she had been reading. Sirius Black’s face was still on the cover, the picture of him unsettling. I shrugged off my robes before I sat down, folding them and setting them on my lap.

“How have you been?” I asked, grabbing a pear and biting into it.

“Eh, alright,” she shrugged, frowning a bit. “Just busy with classes.”

I nodded, agreeing with her. “I feel like I got hit by the Hogwarts Express,” I made a lame joke, but Ginny laughed. I had missed not seeing her often, I had taken a liking to her when I met her on the train.

“What’re you doing for Christmas?” she asked, biting into her sandwich. My stomach sank for a moment, remembering my parents. I brushed it off though, plastering a smile onto my face.

“Nothing, really. Just excited to go home and watch Christmas movies,” I laughed, and Ginny raised an eyebrow. I suddenly realized that she possibly could’ve never watched a Christmas movie given the fact her parents were completely immersed in the magic world. Immediately, I started telling her about all the plots of my favorite movies, promising that her and I could watch them if she ever came home with me, no matter the time of year.

The rest of lunch was filled with her asking me more about Muggle Christmas traditions, and I asked the same, interested in what her family did. When lunch ended, she had to leave for arithmancy, and we split off outside the Great Hall. I headed back towards the Slytherin common room, ready for a nap.

I mumbled the password and entered through the door, greeted by Blaise walking out. We bumped into each other, and I accidentally knocked his Transfiguration textbook out of his hands. It tumbled to the ground, eventually laying flat. 

I apologized, but he waved it off, saying it wasn’t that big of a deal. I was about to slip past him and head for the dormitory when he stopped me.

“Hey, uh, Olive?” he paused, reaching up to rub the back of his neck with his free hand. “Do you know if Katie likes anyone right now?”

I froze, not sure how to respond. When I didn’t say anything, Blaise continued. 

“I mean, Pansy and Draco are getting all mushy, it’s making me feel lonely.”

I turned my head, looking around the common room. Surprisingly, it was empty, leaving Blaise and I the only ones in the room. His mention of Pansy and Malfoy stopped my heart for a second, and I still couldn’t form words.

“It could be the weather, too,” Blaised blurted out, laughing gently. 

I cleared my throat, shaking my head. “Uh, I don’t know about Katie.”

Blaise nodded, tapping his textbook with his fingers before he turned, about to leave the room.

“Wait,” I said, making him stop and look back. “Um, what do you mean about Malfoy and Pansy?” I regretted what I said the instant after it left my mouth. I don’t think I was prepared for Blaise’s answer either.

“Oh, they’ve had this thing since our first year,” he shrugged, throwing his hand up in a “whatever” motion. “I swear, it’s like they’re the same person sometimes. It’s weird,” he chuckled, and I forced out one as well, but it died quickly.

“Oh,” I managed to get out, biting the inside of my cheek. 

“She’s a bitch sometimes, but I guess that’s how it works,” he continued, and I internally begged him to shut up. A stiff smile formed on my face, trying to come off like I wasn’t bothered.

“I gotta go to Transfiguration, I’ll catch you later?” he said, pointing his thumb towards the door. I nodded, waving him goodbye and he left, leaving me alone in the common room. Given what Blaise had just told me, I dreaded going back into my dormitory and seeing Pansy’s face. I walked over to the couch directly across from the fire, carelessly dropping my bag on the ground and slumped onto the leather. Staring directly at the fire, I felt my heart shudder.

My eyes bored into the fire a few more seconds, before I twisted my body and fell onto my back, staring up at the ceiling.

Malfoy was a jerk most of the time, to anyone who was there to take it. The rational part of my brain reminded me of all the times he insulted Jack or I. Or when he had snapped at me on the train, before he even knew who I was. I crossed my arms over my chest, my hand dipping underneath the sleeve and scratching my forearm absentmindedly.

There were so many annoying things about Malfoy. The way he had reacted when the potion exploded. The way he was consistently trying to get Hagrid fired. The way he had treated the first-years last night.

But my brain couldn’t help but remind me of the good side of him. It came in small glimpses, but they were there, if you really looked for them.

When he had given me his quill when he saw me struggling with writing. When he had given Crabbe his money when Crabbe forgot his at Hogsmeade. When he had pulled me into Honeydukes when the sight of the dementors caused me to freeze. When he gave his broom to Jack, but didn’t tell anybody. 

I sighed, closing my eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol i hate sundays


	13. chapter twelve

Mid-year exams approached faster than I expected, students suddenly thrown into endless hours of studying and little hours of sleep. The exams weren’t as intense as the professors promised the final ones to be, but a stressful atmosphere still sat over Hogwarts. Even Jack, who was normally care-free, had snapped at Blaise when he accidentally knocked Jack’s Potions textbook off the library table.

We had two more weeks until we were released for Christmas break: one for classes, and one for testing. Hagrid had graciously waived the Magical Creatures exam, saying that the entire class had proved high proficiency in our work with the Flobberworms and other gentle creatures.

The exams were demonstrations of what we had learned since September. Snape had picked four potions, instructing that he would ask students to recall one from memory. Like Hagrid, Flitwick had made it easy, and told us to only prepare the Seize-and-Pull Charm. McGonagall heavily emphasized the Felifors spell in class.

It was a cold Monday morning in December, a chill running between the stone walls. After studying in the library until midnight last night, I was exhausted. I forced myself to slide out of bed, wincing when my feet hit the cold floor. Opening my dresser drawer, I slipped on a pair of wool socks before I headed to the bathroom, getting ready for the day.

When I returned to the room, Katie was up, reading through her Transfiguration textbook in bed. She had been having particular trouble remembering the transformation spells for different animals, so she had been dragging around that textbook wherever she went.

I mumbled her a small “good morning,” shoving my pajamas back into my dresser. She waved back tiredly, covering a yawn with her hand. I pulled a white button-up over my head, securing a Slytherin tie around my neck afterwards. Slipping a gray V-neck sweater over, I tucked my tie underneath, smoothing out any bumps. 

“Breakfast?” I quietly asked Katie as I slipped on my robes, but she shook her head. I glanced over at Pansy as I secured the metal clip on my robes, but she was still sleeping, her arm dangling out of her bed. 

“Good luck,” I whispered as I passed Katie’s bed, gesturing down to her textbook with my head. She gave me a thumbs-up and settled back into the pillows, bringing her knees up as she brought her focus back to the text.

I closed the dormitory door quietly behind me, walking down the hallway. Tugging the sleeves of my robe down past my hands, I shivered as a cold draft blew past me. 

The Slytherin common room had been decorated lightly for Christmas. A few garlands hung over the fireplace, and a tall Christmas tree sat in the corner, green and silver ornaments glimmering in the low light.

It was eight-twenty, which gave me forty minutes until Potions started. I made my way to the Great Hall, stifling a yawn a couple times. Jack and Blaise were already sitting down once I approached, sitting across from one another.

Similar to the common rooms, the Great Hall had swapped its autumn decorations for Christmas ones, two large trees sitting on each end of the professors’ table. They loomed over the hall, making the house tables look tiny. McGonagall had decorated them with various ornaments and candles, finishing off with draping shiny tinsel on the branches. Poinsettias dotted the tables, also placed around the trees.

“Mornin’,” I greeted, dumping my schoolbag on the table and sitting down next to Blaise. The boys mumbled the same thing back, obviously too tired to say much more. I reached for a bran muffin, peeling off the wrapper and beginning to tear it into smaller pieces with my fingers.

“I wish Snape would’ve picked literally any other potion than the Girding one,” Jack complained, slamming his Potions textbook closed, shoving it away from him. “It’s so stupidly long, and for what?”

I chuckled, but I agreed with him. It was one of the longer potions we had made this year, but after what happened with Malfoy, the correct procedure was basically burned into my brain.

“Yeah, but did he have to list the antidote potions for both uncommon and common poisons?” I added, rolling my eyes. I couldn’t keep the two separate, and I was worried about making the wrong one if Snape asked for the other. I looked over at Blaise, who was chewing a banana with his eyes closed, his head resting on his hand.

“He’s been doing that all morning,” Jack said once he noticed me looking at Blaise, shaking his head. 

“Shut up, Simmons,” Blaise muttered through a mouthful of banana, still not opening his eyes.

I laughed, rolling the muffin wrapper into a little ball. Blaise raised the middle finger on his free hand after I threw it at him, the paper bouncing off his forehead.

“Good morning!” Crabbe’s voice said from behind me, and I turned around, seeing Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle approaching. Malfoy was in the middle as always, a stern look on his face. I returned Crabbe’s wave, scooting over to let him sit next to me.

Malfoy and Goyle sat on either side of Jack, grabbing their breakfast afterwards. Jack striked up a conversation with the others about Christmas plans, and I reached for his Potions textbook, too lazy to grab mine from my bag. I flipped open to the antidote section, my eyes flickering between uncommon and common poisons as I tuned the boy’s voices out. 

Twenty-five minutes later, the group stood, wanting to make Potions in time. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle walked in front of Jack, Blaise and me, leading us down to the dungeons. 

The classroom was half-full when we entered, the rest of the students filtering in before the clock struck. It was fairly quiet as we waited for Snape to start the class, nearly all of the students half-asleep.

“Like I said on Friday, I’ll be requiring each of you to make a potion from memory for your mid-year exam. It will be either a Girding potion, a Shrinking Solution, an antidote for uncommon poisons, or an antidote for common poisons. I recommend you memorize all four,” he announced, standing at the front of class. “For each class this week, I’ll hold a review for each potion. Both antidotes will be reviewed on Friday.”

A few students sighed, receiving looks from Snape. He went on to instruct us to keep our textbooks in our bag, so we couldn’t cheat in the review.

“We’ll start with the Girding potion today,” Snape said, and Jack huffed next to me, crossing his arms over his chest. A small smile snuck on my face, but I quickly wiped it off as Snape turned to our side of the classroom.

“Mr. Malfoy, what’s the first step of the Girding potion?” he asked, his eyes gazing past me. 

“Clear your table and gather your ingredients, including your cauldron,” Malfoy answered smugly, and I heard a smirk through his voice.

“Very good, it was a trick question. Five points to Slytherin,” Snape said, his head nodding in approval. Honestly, I was glad he asked Malfoy first, I probably would’ve jumped into the actual procedure.

“Mr. Crabbe, the second?” Snape continued, walking down our aisle and stopping at the table in front of us. It was clear that Snape was planning to have the class recite the potion’s steps in seating order, so my brain scrambled to remember the third and fourth steps.

“Uh,” Crabbe paused, thinking. “Add two fairy wings.”

“Two wings or two sets?” Snape questioned further, leaning on the table in front of Jack and I.

“Two wings, or one set,” Crabbe rephrased, earning a nod from Snape.

“And the third step, Mr. Simmons?” Snape asked Jack, whose leg had started bouncing under the table.

“Heat the potion until it turns blue,” Jack answered, biting his lip.

“Incorrect. Miss Wilkinson, what color should Mr. Simmons’ potion be at this point?” Snape turned his attention to me, and I sat up straight, folding my forearms on the table and leaning forward.

“Turquoise, sir,” I corrected Jack’s answer, and Snape moved onto the next group. Jack rolled his eyes, leaning back in his stool, the front two legs lifting off the ground just slightly.

“Blue, turquoise. Same thing,” he muttered, glaring at Snape’s back when he turned away.

The rest of the class finished reciting the steps, a few slip-ups here and there. Snape moved onto the applications of the potion, this time taking volunteers to answer his questions.

Snape was busy answering a few student’s questions when I heard Malfoy’s voice whispering my name behind me.

“Wilkinson!” he whispered sharply, causing me to turn my head. He was leaning over the table, Crabbe watching the two of us intently.

“What kind of eggs are they again?” he asked, laughing quietly. His laugh was mean-spirited though, and he sat back in his stool, Crabbe joining in. I turned completely around, shooting Malfoy a glare. He mimed an explosion, his hands blowing apart. “Don’t wanna blow up Snape,” he added, his voice low.

I wanted so badly to grab his tie and yank his face into the table, but I restrained, opting for an even harder glare.

“Miss Wilkinson, Mr. Malfoy. What’s so important?” I heard Snape’s voice just mere feet from my table, causing me to turn around quickly and face the front of the classroom. He was standing in the aisleway, looking down at us.

“Nothing, sir,” I said, offering a measly smile. I bit my lip, running my sweaty palms down my thighs.

“She was trying to cheat, professor,” Malfoy said, pointing down at my feet. I glanced down, seeing my Potions book lying open, turned to the section on the Girding Potion. My mouth dropped open, and Snape rounded the table, staring down at the book as well.

“I was not, you little troll!” I turned in my stool, snapping at Malfoy. Jack snickered beside me, immediately bringing a hand to his mouth.

“My textbook has been in my bag this whole time, I swear it,” I looked back at Snape, pleading for him to believe me. His eyes glanced up from my textbook, his skeptical gaze settling on me. 

“Are you insinuating you haven’t been a good enough tutor, Mr. Malfoy?” Snape said slowly, and I actually choked on my own spit. I didn’t expect Snape to believe me, and I definitely didn’t expect him to say that. I coughed a couple times, collecting myself.

“What? No, Wilkinson’s just stupid,” Malfoy scoffed, becoming flustered. I twirled around in my seat, glaring at him again. Jack turned as well, and I could feel the rest of the class looking at us. 

Snape cleared his throat, but didn’t respond to Malfoy’s comment. A few moments later, he pulled out his wand and spelled my textbook closed, the pages fluttering shut. It sat on the ground, halfway out of my schoolbag.

“You can forget about those five points, Mr. Malfoy,” Snape said coolly, turning and returning to the front of the classroom. I turned around in my seat, smugly crossing my arms over my chest and sat back. The rest of the class went quickly, Snape talking more about the exam. 

When the clock tower rung, I was one of the first out of class, heading straight to Charms. Jack ran to catch up, his robes flowing open as he jogged. Charms went easily, Flitwick hosting a review as well. 

At lunch, I talked to Crabbe long enough for him to admit that Malfoy had spelled my book out of my bag and opened it when I wasn’t paying attention. Blaise stole his attention, saying his parents were buying him the newest broomstick for Christmas. The two quickly fell into a heated conversation, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the new collection of broomsticks. I sighed, resting my jaw on my hands, staring down at the table. Malfoy and Pansy were sitting further down, talking with Katie.

Why would Malfoy have done that? I racked my brain for answers for the rest of lunch, but ended up with nothing.

Three hours later, Katie and I were leaving Transfiguration, heading toward the library. Once we walked through the doors, we saw Jack and Malfoy sitting at a table, but I could see Pansy’s bag left on the table. She must’ve been in the restroom. 

I groaned inwardly, collapsing in the chair next to Jack and tossing my bag on the ground. It made a large thump, causing Jack to look over. The rest of the afternoon was spent studying, and avoiding looking at Pansy and Malfoy.

\---

A week passed, and it was the first day of mid-year exams. I only had Potions today, which I was glad to get out of the way. Since Snape was proctoring the exams individually, I had a few more hours until I was needed in the classroom. I spent the morning reviewing the four potions, going over the instructions and applications of each.

Goyle left the classroom before me, his head hung low. He muttered a quick hello as he passed, quickly walking towards the common room. I entered the classroom, Snape sitting at the front table, parchment stacked up on his right.

“Good morning, Miss Wilkinson,” he greeted, dipping his quill in ink and scribbling my name on top of a fresh sheet.

I greeted him back, setting my bag down as I sat across from him, anxious.

“I’d like you to make the antidote for common poisons for the exam. First, tell me the applications, and then you can begin making the potion,” he said, and I nodded in acknowledgement. I rattled off the different poisons, bites and stings it counteracted, Snape writing them down as I said each one.

He gave me a head nod once I finished reciting what I knew, approving me to gather the ingredients. Snape let me borrow a copper cauldron to make the potion brew faster. Thirty minutes later, the cauldron was bubbling happily, the expected teal color shining under the chandelier’s light.

“Very good, Miss Wilkinson,” Snape said after stirring my potion, ensuring I had made it correctly. His hand flew over the parchment, calculating my total as I watched. 

“One-hundred percent,” he said as he circled the score on the upper right corner of the parchment, and my eyes widened. He must’ve noticed, as a tiny, tiny smile appeared on his lips.

“You’re right behind Mr. Malfoy in the class. I hope you keep this determination for the rest of the year, you could outscore him by the end,” he said, and I couldn’t believe that he was actually giving out compliments. I nodded quickly, smiling back at him.

“Thank you, sir,” I reached down and gathered my things, wishing him a merry Christmas as I headed toward the door. 

“Miss Wilkinson?” Snape called, just as I was about to twist the door handle. I turned, seeing him shuffle through the paper.

“Malfoy did the same thing to a Hufflepuff in his first year,” he said without looking at me, setting the parchment back down in a neat pile. My eyebrows knitted together for a second, confused as to what he was referring to. My lips parted as I finally realized, my eyes darting over to where I sat during class, where Malfoy had accused me of cheating.

“Have a merry Christmas,” he said, glancing over at me. I waved goodbye, slipping out the door. My eyes were trained on the ground as I walked back to the common room, my mind repeating what Snape had said. I looked up when I heard another pair of shoes echoing down the hallway. It was Malfoy, his robes flying open behind him as he briskly walked towards the potions classroom. I smirked, catching his eye for a moment before looking straight ahead.

\---

Five days later, I was sitting on the Express in a compartment with Jack and Katie on the way to King’s Cross. Everyone’s moods were better post-exams, so we were telling stories and munching on Christmas popcorn. The train chugged through the clouds, eventually pulling into the station many hours later. 

I waved goodbye to Jack and Katie, looking around for Aunt Beth the second I stood on the platform. Running to her as soon as I spotted her waving, she gathered me in a hug, welcoming me back home.

I told her everything that happened at Hogwarts on the drive home, from the Quidditch match to the Hogsmeade visit. She teased me about Jack, but I waved it off, saying that Katie liked him anyways. 

\---

“Merry Christmas!” Aunt Beth yelled as she bursted into my bedroom, waking me. I opened my eyes, my body moving up and down as she jumped on my bed, causing the bed frame to creak. She flopped down, sitting with her legs crossed as I sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

“Come on, come on. I got you something special,” she whined, reaching out and grabbing my wrist, practically yanking me out of the warmth of my bed. I stumbled behind her, my feet catching on the stairs a few times. She covered my eyes as she walked behind me into the living room, finally removing her hands. 

I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the light. A broomstick sat under the Christmas tree, the metal hardware gleaming. My mouth dropped open in surprise, immediately kneeling down and running my fingers along the wood.

“This is insane,” I breathed, taking a final glance before turning and looking at Aunt Beth. Her hands were clasped over her chest, grinning down at me.

“I just thought - with you passing potions - and with the money your parents left you-” she said, her sentences coming out fragmented. I shook my head in disbelief, standing up and pulling her into a hug, cutting her rambling off.

“Thank you so much,” I said, squeezing her tight before letting go. She held my shoulders like she had on the platform in September, beaming at me. 

“I know Quidditch tryouts already happened for this year, but you could practice and try out next year?” she suggested, and I laughed, gently shaking my head.

“I don’t think I wanna try out against Jack. Or Malfoy, for that matter,” I looked back down at the broomstick, picking it up and tossing it between my hands. It was incredibly light, the dark brown wood fading into a lighter color at the handle.

“Malfoy?” my aunt asked, the excitement in her voice gone.

“Uh, yeah. He’s kind of in my friend group, but he can be a real dick sometimes,” I scoffed, not turning around. I mounted the broomstick, holding it between my legs.

“Oh, that’s right. I forgot the son was your age,” she said, laughing. She quickly turned and left for the kitchen, and I glanced over my shoulder, raising an eyebrow. I brushed it off, setting the broomstick back down and joining her at the island counter.

My parents had a tradition for Christmas breakfast, and my aunt insisted that we keep it going. So, pancakes with all kinds of chocolate chips, sprinkles and fruit were whipped up for breakfast. Twenty minutes later, Aunt Beth and I had our plates stacked with fluffy pancakes, maple syrup dripping down the sides and collecting underneath. 

We sat on the living room floor in front of the Christmas tree, the fire crackling loudly in the corner. She caught me up on the job that she had picked up while I was at school. Feeling as though she needed a stable job, Aunt Beth had found one at the Ministry, working in the Muggle Liaison office. Both of my parents had worked Muggle jobs, my father an accountant and my mother a school teacher.

After breakfast, I helped Aunt Beth wash the dishes before heading up to my bedroom, ready to watch Christmas movies until I fell asleep. As I was opening my door, I noticed that it caught on my lock, stalling the door for a few seconds until it broke free. I knelt down, the lock now at eye-level. My eyes swept over the metal, and then to the wood above it. A long split, nearly four inches in length, dug deep into the wood of my doorway. 

I ran my fingers over it, trying to avoid splinters. I doubted if Aunt Beth had noticed when I was at Hogwarts, there was really no reason for her to be opening and closing my bedroom door. Standing up, I pulled the door back shut, watching it get caught on the crack. I tugged a little harder, the door skipping over the split and harshly locking shut. 

I frowned, but opened my door again, leaving it open as I collapsed on my bed. Turning on the television I had on my dresser, I cuddled into my blankets and watched movies until I felt my eyelids grow heavy.

\--- 

A week and a half later, I was standing at King’s Cross, wishing Aunt Beth goodbye again. Two minutes ago, I had sent my trunk and broomstick with the same boy from September, who loaded it onto the train and promised it would be in my dormitory when I arrived. 

“Now, continue to do well in classes. Don’t mess around with boys…” Aunt Beth’s words faded as I looked to my right, seeing Malfoy’s unmistakable blonde hair. He was standing alone, fiddling with the clasps on his trunk. 

“You hear me?” Aunt Beth said, raising her eyebrows. I laughed, nodding and promising her I wouldn’t get into trouble.

I looked over at Malfoy again, seeing two adults had joined him, who I assumed were his parents. The father’s hair was identical in color to Malfoy’s, but it was longer, resting at his shoulders. His hands gripped a cane, stacked on top of one another. Malfoy’s mother had half-white, half-black hair, twisted away from her face. I watched as she leaned over and kissed Malfoy’s forehead, rubbing his back. Malfoy said something afterwards, causing her to smile warmly at him.

I was watching Malfoy and his mother so intently that I hadn’t noticed his father staring at me. My eyes darted to him, almost immediately feeling intimidated by his stare. His eyes swept over my face, widening for a second, but then fell into a narrow gaze. I couldn’t read his expression, but I looked right back at him, drawing my lips into a straight line.

“Olive, go!” Aunt Beth said, nudging my shoulder. My gaze broke from Malfoy’s father, seeing that students had begun to board the Hogwarts Express. Waving goodbye to my aunt, I joined the group and made my way to the back of the car, trying to find Jack and Katie. As I was walking down the aisle, I glanced out the windows, hoping to see Aunt Beth one last time. Instead, I was met with the unwavering gaze of Malfoy’s father, his eyes following me as I passed each compartment. 

“Hey, Olive!” Jack called, sticking his head out into the aisleway. My gaze snapped down to him, smiling widely once I saw him and Katie, Blaise sitting with them as well. I turned away from Mr. Malfoy’s stare, dipping out of his sight as I sat down on the bench.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yo lucius could hit it ngl


	14. chapter thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for 3000 hits!!! this is insane lol

Hogwarts’ spring term started the next Monday. Pansy, Katie and I had spent the weekend soaking up the last couple days of no assignments or responsibilities. I had run into Ginny on Sunday at breakfast, telling her about the broomstick my aunt had gotten me. She told me she could teach me how to fly sometime this week after classes, if she could get her hands on one of her brother’s brooms.

Snape’s words after the mid-year exam had bounced around my head all break, making me even more determined to finish the year strong. Malfoy had seemed to become even more mean-spirited and cocky after Halloween, so I was itching to outscore him in Potions.

If only I hadn’t woken up late on my first day back. I was currently scrambling around the room, trying to find clothes I could slip into after a shower. Katie had thrown me one of her ties, saving me an extra couple minutes. I thanked her as I ran out of the room, bursting into the bathroom. 

After I showered, I glanced at my watch that I had set on the bathroom counter. 8:53 AM. I swore under my breath, yanking on my pants and shirt, securing the tie as I walked back into the bedroom. Katie and Pansy had already left for their first class, leaving the room empty. I threw my towel onto my bed, my pajamas landing on top seconds later.

I ran a brush through my hair as I slipped on my shoes, leaving it on my nightstand when I finished. Bursting into the common room, I glanced down at my watch once more. 8:59 AM.

I picked up my pace, practically running to the Potions classroom. With just seconds until nine, I collapsed in the stool, panting. Jack raised an eyebrow, but I shook my head, taking a few deep breaths.

Malfoy started sniffing dramatically behind me, Crabbe snickering under his breath. Moments later, Malfoy still hadn’t let up and I turned, shooting him a questioning look.

“Crabbe, do you smell a wet dog, too?” Malfoy asked, sniffing once more as he turned to Crabbe. I reached up, my fingers running over my wet hair, the excess water seeping into the wool of my sweater.

I narrowed my eyes, glaring at Malfoy once he looked back at me. A smug smirk sat on his lips, begging me to react. I had been so busy trying to glare a hole through Malfoy’s head that I hadn’t noticed that Jack had turned as well, curious as to what was going on.

“Piss off, Malfoy,” Jack snapped, his voice low. Malfoy scoffed, obviously not intimidated by Jack.

“What, Simmons?” Malfoy whispering, leaning over the table. “She your little pet?”

My mouth barely even opened before Jack lunged at Malfoy. Luckily for Malfoy, he sat up fast enough to dodge Jack’s fist, which landed loudly on the table. The class went silent, and I closed my eyes, waiting for Snape to say something. 

“What is going on?” Snape said, a muted anger laced through his words. I turned as his voice became louder, and opened my eyes to see Snape staring down at Jack. Somehow, Jack had hit the table hard enough to break skin, all four of his knuckles bleeding. 

Malfoy opened his mouth to try and weasel out of it, but Snape held his hand up, silencing him.

“Detention, tonight. All four of you. I expect you here at six o’clock sharp,” Snape instructed, a few “ooh’s” coming from around the class. Crabbe’s mouth dropped open, before angrily huffing and crossing his arms. Internally, I agreed with him. Crabbe and I hadn’t even said anything.

Snape gave us all one final look before turning, walking to the front of the class. 

“Are you okay?” I whispered, looking over at Jack’s knuckles. If he had been able to land one on Malfoy, I think Malfoy’s face would’ve needed Pomfrey’s help. Jack nodded, shoving his hand into his robe pockets, wincing as the wool brushed over the open skin.

Snape started the class with the statistics from the mid-year exam, telling us the average score and a few other things.

“Three students got perfect scores,” he continued, and I smiled, sitting back in my chair. I wondered who the other two were, though. Probably Malfoy and one of the Ravenclaws.

The rest of class consisted of Snape telling us the potions we would be learning for the rest of the school year. He also emphasized the final exam, which would be necessary to advance into fourth-year potions.

Flitwick’s class went similarly, him eventually releasing us early for lunch. I pulled Jack out of the classroom, Malfoy eyeing us as we left.

“I cannot believe Malfoy got us detention because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut,” I growled, glaring angrily at the stone floor of the hallway. 

“And with Snape, out of all professors,” Jack added, scoffing. He was just as annoyed about it as I was. “I bet we’ll be scrubbing the dungeon bathrooms with toothbrushes.”

I chuckled at his prediction, the anger leaving my mind for a few moments. We entered the Great Hall, immediately walking toward the Slytherin table. Katie and Pansy were already sitting, bowls of soup in front of them. January was keeping Hogwarts in a frigid hold, the clouds seeming to never lift.

Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle joined a few minutes later, but Malfoy never showed for the entirety of lunch. Probably sending an owl to his father, begging for him to step in.

An hour later, Katie and I walked into Muggle Studies. We moved onto technology in the new term, something that I could also easily tune out. Dropping into our usual spots, I let my mind wander as Professor Burbage started the lecture on computers. 

It seemed like Malfoy had a perpetual stick up his ass since November. That’s what confused me the most: he had been Malfoy-level nice during most of the tutoring sessions, as well as in other times we were alone. I didn’t understand what had made him so insufferable lately, his attitude was consistently foul and irritable. 

For the rest of the hour-and-a-half long class, I tried to think of any reasonable explanation, but I ended the class with nothing. Giving up, I simply attributed it to Pansy. That girl could piss off anyone just by looking at them.

\---

The Christmas decorations had been removed from the Slytherin common room, which made the room seem as cold and glum as it had been back in September. Jack and I were hanging out after classes, playing a game of Wizard’s Chess. He had gotten a new set for Christmas, so the shared Slytherin set sat under the table. I was slowly getting better, but Jack was still beating me in every game.

“Checkmate,” Jack smirked after moving a bishop, leaning back against a couch. I groaned, letting my head fall back onto the cushion.

“I hate this game,” I muttered, lifting my head back up. As Jack gathered the pieces, I looked at the grandfather clock, which read five-fifty. “We better go, detention is in ten minutes.”

Jack nodded, sweeping the pieces back into his box and securing the lid. Excusing himself to put back his game, he ran off down the boy’s wing, disappearing into his dormitory. I sat on the arm of the couch, swinging my legs back and forth as I waited.

I could hear Malfoy’s voice before I saw him, his words carrying through the hallway and into the common room. Groaning, I fell back onto the couch, staring up at the ceiling. My eyes were tracing the stone when Malfoy’s face popped into my vision, leaning over the back of the couch. 

“Get up, Wilkinson,” he snapped, turning back to face Crabbe. Jack walked out of the hallway as I stood, his eyes immediately landing on Crabbe and Malfoy. The four of us left the common room, Jack and I walking in front as we headed toward the potions classroom. 

Snape was already inside, a large array of jars scattered around the front few tables. His back was to us as we entered, turning around once he heard Jack clear his throat.

“You’re on time,” Snape noted, his eyes quickly glancing at the clock that hung above the doorway. Malfoy and Crabbe stopped on my right, so the four of us stood side-by-side.

“I need you four to go through these jars and organize them alphabetically around the room. They’re new, so don’t break anything,” Snape emphasized, his eyes sweeping over us. We nodded, and Jack took a step forward, reaching for a jar. Snape’s tongue clicked, stopping Jack.

“I haven’t gotten the chance to label them yet, so use these,” Snape gestured to two gigantic piles of parchment on the front desk, “to identify and correctly label. Make a mistake, the longer you’re here.” 

My eyes widened at his words. The parchment was stacked nearly two feet high, and not binded whatsoever. It would take hours to go through all the organisms, let alone find the correct one.

“And, I’d like you to work with a partner,” he added, just to make detention even worse. “Since Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Simmons can’t seem to get along, Miss Wilkinson will work with Mr. Malfoy.”

I groaned inwardly, staring straight at the jars.

“I’ll be back in three hours,” Snape dismissed, leaving the classroom. 

Once he was out of earshot, Jack spoke. “This is bullshit,” he muttered, picking up a jar and swirling the creature around. It only had one eye, a large tooth sticking out of its forehead.

We worked in silence for ten minutes, the only sounds coming from the jars clinking together or being set on the tables.

“Flesh-eating slug,” Malfoy muttered, setting the jar back down on the table after inspecting it. I didn’t care to confirm, so I picked a label, scribbling down the name before placing it over the lid.

I barely looked at Malfoy as we continued, only writing down what he told me before walking to the shelves and placing it where it belonged. Even Jack was taking detention seriously, wanting to leave as soon as possible.

Three hours later, Snape returned to check our progress. Malfoy and I had fifteen jars left, whereas Crabbe and Jack had twenty-five. They were constantly bickering about the type of creature, which was putting me on edge.

“It’s spelled I-M-P, Olive, not E-M-P,” Malfoy groaned, grabbing the quill out of my hand harshly and fixing my mistake. I sighed sharply, it took everything in me to not chew Malfoy out. Jack looked over at my sigh, shooting me an empathetic look. I smiled back at him, missing Malfoy’s eyes darting between the two of us.

“Would you two stop? I’m trying to get out of here,” Malfoy snapped, his grip tightening around a jar. I rolled my eyes, looking back down at the stack of parchment Snape had left us. Malfoy held the jar up to eye-level, and then muttered “amphibian.”

I turned to the amphibian section, careful to not misplace any of Snape’s numbered pages. Malfoy reached out, grabbing the stack and ran his finger down the page, constantly looking back and forth between Snape’s handwriting and the jar. Once he finally figured out the name of the organism, he mumbled it to me and I wrote it down, placing the label on the lid. 

An hour later, Malfoy and I had finished, the parchment stacked neatly on the table, the quill resting on top. Malfoy left to go find Snape while I hung back, trying to help Jack and Crabbe.

When Snape and Malfoy returned, he let the two of us go, warning us to refrain from distracting the class again. Too tired to defend myself, I nodded, just wanting to get out of this godforsaken classroom. Malfoy walked ahead of me on the way back to the common room, his footsteps echoing around the empty dungeons. He didn’t hold the common room door for me, but I also hadn’t expected him to.

I mumbled the password, letting a fifth-year Slytherin in behind me. Yawning, I walked down the girl’s wing and into my bedroom, immediately changing into my pajamas. As I collapsed onto my bed, I glanced over at the clock, which read ten-thirteen. I rolled back over to face the middle of the room, closing my eyes and fell asleep.

\---

The new term had Hagrid excited. He spent the first half of the class lecturing on the baby animals that we would be taking care of this spring, which got me excited as well. I was looking forward to playing with baby nifflers and puffskeins, anything other than those damn flobberworms. 

However, the rest of class was spent cleaning up the flobberworm environments, Hagrid needing some additional help. When we finished, he dismissed us early, thanking us for the assistance. 

Defense Against the Dark Arts was picking up as well, Lupin teaching us about creatures that I had once thought were myths. He mainly focused on werewolves and vampires, just to name a couple. He rounded the class off with assigning a research essay on werewolves, opening his office to any questions we may have. 

I was walking to the Great Hall by myself, head bowed as I weaved my way through groups of students who were catching up after Christmas break.

“Olive!” I heard my name, and I slowed, my eyes searching the crowded halls. Ginny’s red hair was bouncing through a group of Gryffindors, jogging up and stopping in front of me.

“Hey, Ginny,” I smiled, greeting her with a hug.

“I was wondering if you wanted to fly around tonight? I think a team’s practicing at six, but we can use the field before then,” she offered, her hands clasping the straps of her bookbag. “Fred said I could borrow his broom.”

I nodded eagerly, excited to learn how to fly. “That sounds perfect. We could meet in the quad at five?” I asked, and she nodded. I waved goodbye as she ran back to her Gryffindor friends, the group moving into the Great Hall. Following behind, I broke off to the left to join my friends at the Slytherin table. Jack and Crabbe had stayed in the potions classroom until one in the morning, having extreme difficulty with identifying the different organisms. In Care of Magical Creatures, Jack had said something about skipping lunch for a nap, and since he was absent from the table, that’s where I assumed he was. 

I dropped down next to Katie, my bag hitting the floor seconds later.

“Hey, Olive,” she greeted, giving me a smile before she turned back to her sandwich. I opted for another bowl of soup and a roll, answering Katie’s questions about technology for the entirety of lunch.

\---

Later that afternoon, I was sitting on a bench in the quad, my broomstick leaning up against the stone beside me. I stood when I heard Ginny call my name from where she was crossing the grass, Fred’s broom held firmly in her hand. The two of us walked down to the Quidditch field, telling each other about our Christmas breaks.

“I swear, Fred and George pull the same thing every year. It’s going to give my mom a heart attack someday,” she scoffed, referring to the twins constantly swapping their Christmas sweaters so that the ‘F’ and ‘G’ was rarely on the right twin. I giggled, remembering what they had been like when I met them on my first day. Her family seemed very close, suddenly making me wish I had a sibling.

When we reached the field, Ginny taught me how to command the broom into my hand and properly mount it. My gloves held onto the handle tightly, wringing the wood between my hands a couple times. Ginny pushed off first, flying a couple low circles around me, teaching me how to direct the broom. Twenty minutes later, her and I were flying side-by-side in large, low circles around the field.

She dodged so nimbly in between each goalpost, I was surprised she wasn’t on the Gryffindor team. The wind blew through my hair, nipping at my face. I’m sure my cheeks were a bright red color as I touched back down, Ginny following seconds later.

“You know, you’re pretty good,” she complimented, leaning on Fred’s broom. I smiled, looking down at my broom. I could see Ginny eyeing it as well, so I offered it to her, letting her take it for a spin. I stood on the ground, twirling as I watched Ginny circle the field, high above the grass. 

Riding a broom was more exhausting than I thought it would be, my body soon overheating even in the cold temperature. I shrugged off my robe, dropping it on the ground. My necklace got caught for a second, tightening against my neck before the clasp gave way and it hit the ground. I sighed, about to reach down when I heard Jack’s voice call.

“Wilkinson!” I stood back up, squinting my eyes as I saw the Slytherin team approaching the field. Their green and silver robes fluttered in the wind, and they came to a stop a few feet away. I was about to greet Jack when Malfoy pushed his way through, dressed the same as the other boys and holding an identical broom. My eyebrows came together in confusion, looking over at Jack as if he could give me an explanation. He shrugged, resting his elbow on his broom.

I heard Ginny touch down behind me, her shoes just barely crunching the grass. 

“Here,” she mumbled, handing me my broom as she picked up Fred’s. She eyed the Slytherin team, her gaze sweeping over the green and silver robes.

“You a Gryffindor now, Wilkinson?” Malfoy sneered, standing in front of the team. His eyes swept over Ginny, who had drawn her mouth into a firm line similar to mine. 

“Ginny’s a good friend, she was teaching me how to fly,” I defended her, my grip tightening on the handle of my broomstick.

“Good thing you didn’t ride that old thing, the Weasleys can’t afford anything safe,” Malfoy laughed, Crabbe and Goyle joining in. Flint gave a small snicker, his eyes watching Malfoy. 

“At least we don’t have to buy our way onto the team,” Ginny jumped in, nodding her head at the matching brooms the Slytherin boys had. Malfoy glared at her, but I offered her a smile, which she returned.

“We were just leaving,” I said, mainly to Flint. He nodded as I reached down, grabbing my robes and draping them over my arm, my other hand holding the broomstick. Ginny and I got about ten feet away before Malfoy spoke again, causing me to groan.

“What’s this?” he bent down, his pale fingers picking up my necklace. My hand flew to my chest, suddenly realizing that I hadn’t gotten the chance to pick it up. I dropped my robes and broomstick on the ground, marching over to Malfoy.

“Give it,” I snapped, holding out my hand, palm up. I immediately regretted what I said, as my reaction had made Malfoy realize that the necklace was something important. Malfoy smirked, resting his broom in the crook of his elbow as he ran his fingers over the olive branch, before he clasped his first around it. My mouth dropped open as he quickly mounted his broom, rising a few feet in the air. 

“The dog need her collar?” he laughed, referring to the lame joke he had made yesterday morning in Potions. I felt my blood run hot, my hands curling up into fists. Jack moved to mount his broom as well, catching Malfoy’s eye and causing him to rise further into the sky. I knew Jack didn’t know how special that necklace was to me, but I hoped he would help me out.

Jack pushed off, quickly chasing Malfoy, who had taken off the instant Jack’s feet left the ground. I hated being stuck here, feeling like I couldn’t do anything. My broom was twenty feet away with Ginny, so I grabbed Crabbe’s out of his hand, shocking him. I threw my leg over, zooming after Malfoy and Jack. 

I sucked in a breath as the broom wobbled, almost causing me to lose my balance. It was an impulsive decision, but I didn’t care. I took a deep breath, focusing on centering myself so I wouldn’t fall to my death. Jack and Malfoy had stopped, hovering in the sky. I could see the silver chain glinting in Malfoy’s hand, swinging back and forth with the wind.

Both of them looked surprised to see me coming, Jack’s eyes wide.

“I said, give it, Malfoy,” I spat, glaring at him. Malfoy’s lips fell into a smirk, opening his hand and looking over the pendant once more. 

“What’s so important about this, anyways?” he said as he tossed the necklace in the air a few times, catching it after each toss. When I didn’t answer, his fist closed back over the chain, his hand turning upside down.

A gasp left my lips as he dropped it, the chain immediately plummeting toward the ground. Jack dipped, reaching out and grabbing it thirty feet below us. He touched down, holding his fist up and waving at me.

“What have I ever done to you,” I growled at Malfoy, who seemed genuinely surprised at my tone. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, but I brushed it off as the wind. I was too angry to cry, and I definitely wouldn’t cry in front of Malfoy. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

“You are such a cruel person,” I continued, practically spitting the words at him. I gave him one last glare as I leaned to the left, dipping the broom back down. Malfoy hovered in the air a few moments after me, not moving. My feet eventually hit the grass next to Jack, graciously taking my necklace from him.

“Thank God for your Seeker skills,” I laughed, tucking the necklace into my pants pocket. I didn’t want to risk it falling off again, especially after all that. Glancing up, I saw Malfoy returning to the team, who were on the other side of the field. Jack and I started walking back, carrying the brooms in our hands.

“Why is he even here, anyways?” I asked, glancing over at the team.

“His father sent in a letter over Christmas break, demanding that he be Seeker,” Jack sighed, shrugging. “Flint said that we can trade off each game.”

I nodded, offering Jack a small smile. “I think you’re better anyways,” I complimented, causing Jack to chuckle. A few minutes later, we had crossed the field, the Slytherin team watching us.

“Here,” I said to Crabbe, tossing the broom towards him. He just barely caught it, the handle slipping through his hand a few inches. I didn’t look at the team as I walked back to Ginny, who handed me my broom. Thanking her, the two of us climbed the hill without looking back and headed into Hogwarts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not me making my october bullet journal theme hogwarts


	15. chapter fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you guys started this chapter, I just wanted to thank you for all of the unbelievably sweet comments I got yesterday :’) I literally got so excited whenever I got a notif that someone commented, you guys are the absolute best!! my professors just released all the dates for my upcoming exams and quizzes and stuff so i'm definitely stressed :/ I’m really happy that most of you are enjoying the fic!! I hope you enjoy this chapter, I’ve got lots in store!! Happy Wednesday :)

A snowstorm hit Hogwarts that night, dumping nearly a foot of snow by the time I woke the next morning. Something about it falling in January made the snow much less magical, and more of a burden. Classes weren’t cancelled, however, Dumbledore had made the announcement at breakfast. 

I was sitting in Potions with my robes tightly wrapped around me as I shivered, my wool sweater doing a lousy job at keeping me warm. Snape had started us on the Wideye potion, which was a time-intensive potion. After he quickly went through the procedure, he let the class loose to gather ingredients and begin making the potion.

Jack offered to collect the jars, leaving the table to stand in the line of students waiting outside of the supply closet. I grabbed Jack’s cauldron from the shelves in the back of the room, returning to the table. I set it down, my eyes skimming over the instructions, noticing we needed a mortar and pestle as well. A group of students were huddled around a cabinet near the cauldrons, a Ravenclaw handing out mortars to the others. I joined the group, thanking the girl as she handed me one. Passing Malfoy and Crabbe as I walked back to my table, I overheard them squabbling over whose cauldron to use.

“My father just bought me a new one for Christmas, it’s better than that piece of rubbish,” Malfoy scoffed, and I looked down at Crabbe’s cauldron as I walked by. It did look battered and worn, a few divots from where Crabbe had probably dropped it. 

I heard Crabbe reluctantly agree, and he left to return his cauldron to the shelves. Turning my back to Malfoy, I set the mortar and pestle on the table just as Jack returned, carefully placing down the ingredients. The potion only needed three, but the brewing time took nearly a day in the cauldrons that students had. Snape had instructed us to halve the heating temperature, so that the brewing time would double. Hopefully, the potion would be ready when we returned for class on Friday. 

Jack’s hands screwed open a jar, dropping six snake fangs into the mortar. They clinked against one another, finally setting the bottom of the stone bowl. My hands were so numb from the frigid temperature of the potions classroom that I couldn’t get a good grip on the pestle. It slipped from my hand, clattering on the floor and rolling towards Malfoy and Crabbe’s table. Malfoy looked up at the noise, Crabbe too busy mashing the fangs. I was about to bend down when Jack beat me to it, swiftly grabbing the pestle that had come to a stop, resting against the table leg. 

Malfoy looked back down at his textbook, instructing Crabbe on what to do next. I thanked Jack, taking the pestle from him. I hadn’t spoken to Malfoy since yesterday at the Quidditch field, and I was planning on not doing so for a while. 

A few minutes later, the snake fangs had been ground into a fine white powder. As Jack was placing his cauldron on the stand, I opened the jar of standard ingredient, scooping four measurements into the mortar.

“Six billywig stings, right?” Jack asked, picking up the labelled jar. I nodded, and Jack dropped the stings into the cauldron and turned on the heat.

“Slytherin is playing against Ravenclaw on Saturday,” Jack said, keeping an eye on the cauldron. “It’s Malfoy’s first game of the year, so I’m going to need a stand buddy.”

I frowned, a bit annoyed that Jack and Malfoy had to split the Seeker position. Flint had told everyone that Malfoy was to be Jack’s backup, so it was clear that Malfoy’s father intervened.

“You can come with Katie, Pansy, and I. Blaise should be there too, so you won’t be the only boy,” I offered, and Jack nodded eagerly. I handed him the mortar, and he poured the contents into the cauldron. 

With that, today’s part of the potion was finished. Jack and I cleaned our table, him returning the ingredients, while I replaced the mortar and pestle. The class had fifteen minutes left, so we sat, watching the potion as we talked about classes.

Lupin was supposedly going to start the third-years on Boggarts today, which made Jack nervous. We had talked about them briefly on Monday, but Lupin wanted to keep the experience a surprise.

“I don’t even know what my biggest fear is!” he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. “What if it’s, like, a unicorn or something? I can’t be a Slytherin scared of a damn unicorn,” he scoffed, causing me to laugh.

“I’m sure it’ll be scarier than a unicorn,” I assured him, causing him to shake his head playfully. 

“What’s your biggest fear?” he asked, and I paused, thinking about it. I couldn’t come up with anything, though.

“A...er... train? Maybe?” I guessed, shrugging. I immediately laughed afterwards, realizing how ridiculous it sounded. Jack joined in, joking that the Hogwarts Express was going to chug through the Dark Arts classroom.

Ten minutes later, Snape dismissed the class, instructing us to keep our cauldrons where they were. Jack ensured the cauldron was secure before he stood, grabbing his schoolbag. The two of us left for Charms side-by-side, continuing to discuss fears and predicting what our boggarts would be.

“I guess that might be the whole point,” I thought out loud, climbing the stone steps that led us out of the dungeons. “It could be an unconscious fear, something that we won’t know until we see it.”

“Deep,” Jack held a serious face for a second, before he snickered. I laughed as well, stumbling to the right from the playful shove Jack gave me. We followed the flow of students, entering Charms a few minutes later. Malfoy walked behind us, joined by Blaise sometime between the walk between the potions classroom and charms. 

Flitwick had us reviewing the charms we learned during the fall term, making sure we hadn’t forgotten anything over the Christmas break. For most of the class, Jack and I were practicing the seize-and-pull charm, trying to spell the fruit into the other’s hand. Malfoy and Blaise were doing the same, forcing their orange into a tossing game between the two of them.

When the clock tower rang, Jack and I left for the Great Hall, running into Pansy and Katie on the way. Blaise joined us just as we were entering the hall, jogging to catch up with us. We sat down between two groups of sixth-years and second-years. It seemed like everyone was in a good mood, catching up with one another after being gone for Christmas break. 

“I heard you got a broomstick, Olive,” Blaise said from across the table, smiling at me. “Also heard you took Crabbe’s right out of his hand.”

I laughed, remembering Crabbe’s expression when I yanked the broom from his grasp. 

“Malfoy pissed me off,” I shrugged, taking a bite out of my sandwich. Blaise chuckled, shaking his head.

“I dunno, Blaise. Olive’s got the skills to make the team next year,” Jack joked, his hand clapping me gently on my back between my shoulder blades. I rolled my eyes, swallowing before I denied Jack’s claim.

“Like I would ever try out,” I scoffed, setting my sandwich down. “I’m totally okay with not sitting on a stick of wood for hours on end.” 

Blaise laughed, joined by Jack waggling his eyebrows.

I suddenly realized the innuendo, exhaling harshly in annoyance. “Oh, my God. Grow up, you two.”

My weak defense only caused Jack and Blaise to laugh even harder, the two falling into an uncontrollable fit as they egged the other on. Their loud laughter and sudden inhales of air caught Katie’s attention, who turned from where she was sitting on my left. 

“What’s wrong with them?” she asked, a small smile playing on her lips. Both of Jack and Blaise’s laughs were contagious, my mouth curling into a grin as well.

“Just being themselves,” I rolled my eyes, picking my sandwich back up and taking a bite.

\---

The next morning, Hagrid had moved Magical Creatures inside of the greenhouse, which was luckily not in use during our class time. The snow had barely melted, still covering Hogwarts in a white blanket. 

As the class waited for Hagrid to bring in the boxes of nifflers, we sat at a few tables, the amount of students requiring at least five. Jack nudged my arm with his, causing me to look over at him. His head gestured to Malfoy, who was sitting by himself on a table further down, his feet propped on the chair. He was resting his elbows on his knees, leaning forward and clearly deep in thought. 

I frowned, shrugging as I returned my attention to Hagrid, who had returned from his hut. After setting down three massive wooden boxes, he stood, brushing snow out of his hair and off his shoulders. 

“Still comin’ down out there,” he mumbled as he set out the boxes on separate tables. He paused, his eyes scanning the class, who were watching him patiently. He thought for a few moments, his eyes darting back and forth. 

“Er... Malfoy, Crabbe, Simmons, Wilkinson, Mudge, McLaggen...” he continued to call out last names, each student standing as they heard their name. I stood after Jack, hoisting my bag onto my shoulder. “Over to that box, please,” Hagrid pointed to the left-most box. The group shuffled over, gathering around the box. It was moving just barely, paired with a few tiny snorts and squeaks.

Once Hagrid had equally split the class into three, he instructed us on how to handle nifflers, warning us to hide any jewelry or shiny objects. I tucked my necklace under my sweater, not wanting to lose it again. After he finished talking, the groups were allowed to remove the top of the box. 

A gasp left my mouth after Mudge lifted the lid, setting it on the table. Five nifflers, all visibly pregnant, were cuddled together in a pile. Carefully, I reached in, picking one up and holding it against my stomach. It squirmed, flipping onto its back. A Gryffindor girl took another, followed by Crabbe.

“These nifflers are pregnant, you’ll be takin’ care of ‘em for the rest of the semester. Hopefully by March, you’ll be takin’ care of the babies as well,” Hagrid said, his voice echoing around the greenhouse. 

Jack looked over my shoulder, reaching out to tickle the niffler under its chin. It wriggled, opening its eyes and looking up at him.

“It is pretty cute,” he admitted, smiling down at the platypus-looking creature. 

As Hagrid was explaining their diet, I looked over at Malfoy, who had one held against his chest as well, nestled in his left arm. He had taken off his ring, dangling it above the creature between his thumb and forefinger. The niffler reached out for it, its hands and feet flailing in the air as it tried to grasp it. For some reason, Malfoy’s action didn’t seem to be mean-spirited, but rather playful and almost sweet. A small smile laced his lips, which I hadn’t seen in a long time. With the rest of the class paying attention to Hagrid, Malfoy was free to let his guard down for a moment. I tuned out Hagrid’s voice, my attention focused on the niffler in Malfoy’s arms. It suddenly stopped reaching for his ring, and I looked up, immediately met by his gaze. 

Malfoy quickly slipped his ring into his robe pocket, tapping Crabbe on the shoulder and handing the niffler to him. I looked away, clearing my throat quietly and tried to catch up on what Hagrid had been saying.

Since the nifflers were pregnant, Hagrid didn’t want us handling them too much, so we placed them back in the box a few minutes later. The rest of class was spent taking observations and notes, sitting around the boxes on the chairs.

When Magical Creatures ended, Jack and I headed towards the Dark Arts classroom. Today was the day that Lupin had planned for us to face the boggarts, so butterflies grew in my stomach as I neared the classroom door. Lupin had let us change seats for the spring term, so I was now sitting next to Jack, happy to be rid of the Hufflepuff Lupin had sat me with in the fall.

Jack and I sat down, my bag on the ground seconds later. We made small talk as we waited for Lupin to start the class, the rest of the students filtering in. Malfoy and Goyle entered together, dropping down at their table a couple rows over. Crabbe and Blaise sat directly in front of Jack and I.

As Lupin began the class, I eyed the wardrobe sitting at the front of the class, its mirrors reflecting the students sitting across from it. 

“Intriguing, isn’t it?” he asked, turning back around to face the wardrobe. It shuddered, the doors creaking as it wobbled back and forth, as if the boggart was going to burst out in a second. “Before we start, I want to make sure you all know something. Do not be ashamed of whatever form the boggart takes, everyone is scared of something, understood?”

The class nodded, acknowledging his words. 

Lupin had us stand, and with a flick of his wand, the tables were scooted to the back of the classroom, giving the class plenty of space to face the boggart. We stood in a huddled group, watching Lupin as he walked to the front of the class, standing in front of the wardrobe.

He had us recite the spell, riddikulus, a few times, making sure we were prepared to deal with whatever came out of those doors. 

“This class is ridiculous,” Malfoy muttered from where he was leaning up against a stone pillar, causing Crabbe to nod, agreeing with him. I rolled my eyes at his lame attempt at a joke, turning my attention back to Lupin.

“Very good,” Lupin complimented the class, nodding his head. “That, unfortunately, is the easy part. You see, the incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a Boggart is laughter. You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. Let me explain.”

His eyes searched the class for a volunteer, but no one was willing. I avoided eye contact with Lupin, suddenly finding the floor incredibly interesting.

“Simmons! Please join me up here,” Lupin called, causing Jack to sigh. I looked at him, watching him walk to the front of the classroom, alongside Lupin. Jack’s head was held high, though, staring at the wardrobe as he approached.

“What frightens you most of all?” Lupin asked Jack, his hands in his pockets. Jack shrugged, shaking his head.

“I dunno, Professor.” A few students chuckled quietly, and a smile formed on Jack’s lips. 

“Well, I guess we’ll see what form the Boggart takes, yes?” Lupin nodded his head once, looking to Jack for approval. Jack swallowed, nodding his head a few times. I watched as Jack’s grip tightened on his wand, his knuckles going white as he readied himself.

Lupin stood beside Jack, taking out his own wand as well. With a sharp movement of his wrist, the knob of the wardrobe twisted, the door creaking open.

My eyes widened as I saw a gloved hand reach around the door, pushing it open. A clown rolled out, and when it stood, it towered over the class at nearly ten feet tall. Jack looked up, stumbling back as the clown leaned over, its red nose nearly touching Jack’s forehead.

“The spell, Jack,” Lupin reminded, his eyes darting between Jack and the clown.

“Riddikulus!” Jack exclaimed, pointing his wand at the clown. It immediately shrunk to three inches tall, squeaking as it ran around in circles. The class laughed, and Jack turned, shooting the Slytherins a smile.

“Well done, Jack,” Lupin clapped his shoulder. “If the rest of the class would form a line, we shall continue.” 

After seeing Jack’s success, the class was more than excited to see what they could turn their fears into. Quickly, the students formed a rushed line, which weaved back and forth so we could see the front of the class. I was standing between Crabbe and Blaise, nervously waiting my turn. Ron Weasley went after Jack, the clown morphing in a large spider. It’s pincers snapped, taking a few steps toward Ron. With a call of the spell, the spider’s feet were shoved into roller skates. All eight of its long legs flailed, losing its footing. Ron’s shoulders relaxed, laughing as the spider struggled. With every student, the class laughed at the ridiculousness of each boggart.

Lupin was laughing along with us, eating an apple from the side of the room as he watched the students cycle through the boggart. 

I could hear Malfoy talking to Crabbe behind me, his voice carrying further than he probably meant for it to. “This is so stupid, I’m not scared of anything,” Malfoy scoffed, crossing his arms. 

“I dunno, clowns are pretty scary,” Crabbe disagreed, his voice wavering slightly. I smirked, keeping my back to them. Leaning around Blaise, I watched as another Gryffindor’s boggart got snapped by a mousetrap, ceasing the disembodied hand’s movement.

Ten students later, it was Blaise’s turn. Just prior to him, a Slytherin had turned a grizzly bear into a circus bear, which was still riding in circles on a tiny tricycle. Blaise chuckled, staring at the boggart. I saw him take a deep breath, thinking of his biggest fear.

It morphed into a giant King Cobra, hissing down at us. I gasped, stumbling back and accidentally knocking into Crabbe. Muttering an apology, I watched as Blaise said the incantation, the cobra turning into a rubber snake. 

Nerves filled my stomach as Blaise turned, high-fiving his way back down the remaining line of students. I looked down at the rubber snake, which was laying limply on the ground. My heart beat picked up as my mind went blank, but the boggart began to shift. I still had no idea what my biggest fear was, so I didn’t know what to expect.

The boggart retreated back to the wardrobe, shifting into a human being and collapsing down in front of it. It took a few seconds, but I gasped when I realized it was me. It was my dead body, slumped down in the exact same position that I had found my mother in. My head was lolled to the left, my right arm laying limply across my lap and my left hand resting palm up on the floor. It was unmistakably me, the boggart hadn’t even changed the Slytherin tie and robes I was currently wearing. The classroom immediately quieted, no traces of laughter in the air at all. Up until now, all the boggarts had taken the form of something others could think of as trivial: clowns, snakes, spiders.

My breath hitched in my throat as I stared at my own dead body, the boggart not moving at all. I felt like I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. I could see Lupin stand in the corner of my vision, obviously concerned. My wand slipped out of my grasp, clattering to the floor until it came to a stop. I blinked, trying to rid the boggart from my vision. Lupin jumped in front of me, the boggart morphing to a full moon before Lupin sent it back into the wardrobe. The class was still silent, the sound of the lock closing echoing between the tall walls.

My gaze was pinned to the wardrobe, my lips slightly parted. I looked up as Lupin turned, his eyes full of worry as they swept over my face.

“Are you alright?” he asked quietly, trying to keep his words between just me and him. I swallowed thickly, nodding once before I nodded my head more aggressively, like I was trying to convince myself. I bent down, picking up my wand before I quickly walked over to Jack, my head bowed. A few whispers floated throughout the class, but no one said anything.

It was embarrassing, having your dead body be your boggart. Part of me felt angry that it couldn’t have been something stupid, like the Hogwarts Express. The other part of me was absolutely terrified. I had never consciously thought about something like that happening, and to see it right in front of me did something unexplainable to my psyche. Jack didn’t say anything as I stood next to him, instead lifting his hand and rubbing my back comfortingly. I bit my lip, leaning into his shoulder. My breathing evened out, eventually returning back to normal.

Lupin kept the boggart in the wardrobe for the rest of class, deciding to move the tables back to their usual spaces and lecture us on identifying the differences between a real fear and a boggart. He promised the rest of the class would get their chance next Tuesday.

Twenty minutes later, the clock tower struck, dismissing students from their classes. I skipped on lunch, waving a small goodbye to Jack as I left for the Slytherin common room. Collapsing on my bed, I stared up at the canopy, letting out a sigh.

I tried to take a nap, but everytime I closed my eyes, all I could see was my parents’ dead bodies. With mine nestled between them. 

\---

At dinner that night, Jack walked on eggshells around me. He never mentioned Dark Arts, but I could tell he wanted to. 

I scoffed, grabbing the sweet roll out of his hand. He had been peeling off the paper for me, like I was incapable to do it for myself. “I can do it myself, Jack,” I held up the roll in front of his face, removing the rest of the wrapper before dropping the paper on the table dramatically. 

Jack sighed, giving me an empathetic smile before turning back to his roasted chicken. I assured him I was fine for what felt like the hundredth time, receiving a small shrug from him.

“Well, well, well,” I heard Malfoy’s voice from across the table, and I looked up to be met with his leather bag being dropped in front of my face, thumping loudly against the table. “Quite a boggart you’ve got yourself there, Wilkinson.”

Crabbe sat down next to Malfoy, but he avoided looking at me. I glared at Malfoy, my eyes narrowing. 

“Shut up, Malfoy,” I muttered, looking back down at my muffin. I began to pick it apart aggressively, trying to displace my anger. Jack stiffened against me, shooting Malfoy a dirty look as well.

“You don’t see many thirteen-year-olds already scared about their death,” he laughed, looking over to Crabbe for approval. Crabbe raised his head just barely, giving a low chuckle.

“You’re just happy you didn’t have to go and see your daddy walk out of that wardrobe,” I snapped, slamming my hands on the table. It was a pure guess, but Malfoy’s reaction affirmed what I had thought. Malfoy’s eyes widened for a second, before they narrowed, matching mine. 

He opened his mouth, trying to find the right words to say. “I don’t have any fears, Wilkinson,” he said, but the edge on his voice had been lost, his words faltering just slightly.

“You should go before your face ends up on the back of your head, Malfoy,” Jack threatened, causing Malfoy to scoff.

“Sounds a bit too ‘Professor Quirrell’ for me, Simmons,” Malfoy laughed, reaching for an apple and tossing it in the air a few times. He stared at Jack as he brought it to his lips, his teeth sinking into the apple and biting a chunk off. “Besides, I’m sure they taught you worse at Durmstrang. Heard a lotta professors are also Death Eaters, am I right?”

My eyes widened, honestly in shock at Malfoy’s insults. They were nastier than usual, and even Crabbe seemed uncomfortable. I looked over at Jack, whose jaw was clenched so tight, I thought he was going to break a tooth. Knowing this wasn’t going to end without at least one fist flying, I stood, yanking my bag off the table and pulling Jack away. We stopped near the entrance to the Great Hall, off to the side.

“I’m sorry about him, Olive,” Jack sighed, running a hand through his hand. His breathing had gone down, but his face was still flushed with anger. 

I nearly laughed, shaking my head. “There’s no reason for you to apologize, Jack,” I assured him, looking back over my shoulder at Malfoy and Crabbe. Crabbe had busied himself with dinner, but Malfoy was watching us, chewing his apple slowly. 

Just to spite him, I turned around, looking back at Jack. 

“Thank you,” I said seriously, reaching up and resting my hands on his shoulders. He looked back down at me, a small smile on his face. Before I could convince myself not to, I hoisted myself on my tippy-toes, steadying myself on Jack’s shoulders, and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

Jack smiled wider, raising his gaze to look over my head, smirking smugly at Malfoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did I just throw Malfoy into Dark Arts with Olive because I just realized his iconic line? And same for Jack and Blaise and Goyle? Yes I did whatever


	16. chapter fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I was editing this chapter, I realized that I got my timeline mixed up lolol, so I had to rewrite just a bit of chapter fourteen to make sure there were no continuity errors! (it’s nothing super important) - If you’re curious, the whole boggart thing happened on a Thursday, and I changed it so that when Malfoy was a dick to Olive/Jack, it was that same night at dinner (rather than the next morning like I had it previously written) This chapter is starting on Friday morning :) Sorry for the confusion!! Enjoy this chapter :)

Jack and I never mentioned the kiss after dinner, but we didn’t need to. I think we both knew that it was solely to piss off Malfoy, just something to get under his skin. We continued as if nothing had happened, which made me feel a lot better about my decision. Immediately after I had kissed Jack’s cheek, regret flooded my head, feeling like I was just using him to get back at Malfoy. But when I saw the smug smirk on Jack, I felt like he had indirectly validated my action.

Jack and I split off after dinner, him leaving to join the Slytherin team for a practice. Walking alone to the common room, I raised a hand to my lips, where they had been tingling since they left Jack’s cheek. I clasped the straps of my schoolbag, taking a deep breath and picking up my pace.

News quickly spread throughout the Slytherin house, though. I hadn’t noticed until I was walking through the common room, overhearing a group of first-year Slytherins giggling. I turned, glaring down at them and raising an eyebrow. None of them said anything, their laughs dying and they quickly returned to their textbooks. Shaking my head, I walked past them to my dormitory.

“...a dead body,” one muttered, causing the others to snicker, turning their heads and watching as I disappeared down the hallway.

Whispers seemed to follow me wherever I went, from the Great Hall to the hallways between classes. By Friday afternoon, though, the boggart news was old. The entire Slytherin house was distracted by the game tomorrow, the first one of spring term.

I had thought about sending Aunt Beth an owl to her what happened, but I decided against it. She didn’t need to be worrying about me, so I sent her one talking about Jack teaching me Wizard’s Chess, and asking her how her new year has been. I sent Athena out on Friday morning, hoping the letter would make it to Aunt Beth sometime during the weekend.

Walking back to the dungeons, I dragged my feet, dreading Potions. I walked through the door with a few minutes to spare, dropping down next to Jack.

“Mornin’,” I grumbled, leaning my bag up against the leg of the table. 

“Morning,” Jack responded, giving me a soft smile. Our cauldron was where we left it, the potion simmering. It had stayed the expected seafoam green color, which was relieving. Malfoy and Crabbe’s potion sat on the adjacent stand, the same color as ours.

Snape started class as soon as the clock struck nine, instructing us to confirm our potions had brewed accordingly to the textbook. Only a couple groups had problems; one was a mustard yellow color, and the other’s had burnt to a crisp, hardening in their cauldron. As Snape attended to the groups, he told the rest of the class to finish the potion. 

We only needed wolfsbane, so I slipped off the stool, grabbing the single jar from the supply cabinet. Jack grabbed a wooden spoon from the back of the classroom, stirring the potion after I dropped into the two sprigs of wolfsbane. With a single wave of my wand, the potion was finished. Jack turned the flame off, and we waited for the potion to cool before pouring it into two vials. 

The potion was meant to be used to keep someone awake, which was ironic given the quality of my sleep last night. I could barely close my eyes without seeing my dead parents, which kept me staring out the small window in the dormitory, watching the moon move across the sky. 

I considered sneaking a sip, but I decided against it just in case Jack and I had forgotten to do something correctly. Dealing with ingesting a failed potion was too much to handle right now.

Jack cleaned his cauldron as I topped the vials, ensuring they were sealed shut. Scribbling our names on both, I sat them on the corner of the table to be collected by Snape. Since most of the class had successfully completed the Wideye potion, Snape released the class early, reminding us of an essay on the applications of the potion due Monday.

Jack and I sat on the dungeon staircase until Charms started, wanting to get away from the common room. We had been talking about the Quidditch game tomorrow, until he suddenly stopped. He bit the inside of his cheek, like he was debating asking something. I figured it was about the boggart, so I nudged him with my foot, bringing his attention to me.

“I don’t know why my biggest fear is me dying,” I said, a hint of truth behind my words. 

“I mean, I get it. A lot of people’s fear is dying, Olive,” Jack sighed, leaning back on the stone steps. He stretched out his legs as he rested his body weight on his elbows. “But you’re thirteen, your fear should be, like, a spider, or something.”

I nodded slowly, leaning over my knees as I reached down, picking at the hem of my robes. “Maybe I’m just an old soul,” I tried to joke, a weak laugh following. I couldn’t bring myself to tell Jack what had happened to parents, and honestly, I wasn’t sure if I ever could.

“Yeah, explains your fashion sense,” Jack poked, a playful glint in his eyes. My mouth dropped open, an exasperated huff leaving my mouth.

“What a jerk,” I teased, chuckling. Jack and I left the conversation about the boggart there, moving onto a different topic. Twenty minutes later, the clock tower rang, indicating the end of what would’ve been potions. The two of us stood, climbing the stairs and heading to Charms.

\--- 

The rest of my Friday classes went easily, both Flitwick and Burbage ending their lessons with homework assignments for the weekend. The Slytherin team had practice for most of the afternoon, Jack going with them. 

After Transfiguration, Katie and I got a head start on assignments in the library. We started on the Muggle Studies essay, Katie needing an extra bit of help from me. Within a couple hours, we were both done, pages of parchment laid out in front of us. As I was shuffling through them, making sure they were in the right order, Katie cleared her throat.

“Since Malfoy is Seeker tomorrow, Pansy is going to want to get there early, she likes to cheer him on when they practice before,” she said, resting her head on her hand. I rolled my eyes, but I shrugged. Seemed like typical Pansy behavior.

“How early?” I raised an eyebrow, setting the parchment down and leaning back in the library’s chair.

“Like an hour,” Katie sighed, nodding once my eyes widened. 

“I don’t understand how she can be so infatuated with such a jerk,” I scoffed.

“Probably because she can be one too,” Katie laughed, and I chuckled with her.

The two of us focused on homework for a bit longer, hunger finally taking precedence over academics. We packed our things, leaving for the Great Hall to eat dinner.

The Slytherin team must’ve finished practice, as they were sitting at the end of the table, still in their practice robes. Once Flint and the older players saw Katie and I approaching, they stood, waving goodbye to the rest of the team. They moved down the table, sitting with their friends.

Jack turned in his seat, smiling once he saw Katie and I. Sitting down next to Jack, I set my bag down on the bench beside me. 

“How was practice?” I asked, grabbing a roasted carrot off his plate. 

“Eh, it was alright. Don’t tell Flint I said this, but it’s pretty clear that Malfoy’s rusty,” Jack snickered, leaning down towards me. “I’m kinda nervous for the game tomorrow.”

I nibbled on the carrot, listening to Jack. A few minutes later, Pansy and Blaise joined, sitting down with us. After dinner, the group walked back to the common room together, the boys on the team immediately leaving for a shower. It was only six-thirty, but my eyelids felt heavy and my brain was foggy. I decided to take advantage of the first true sign of tiredness I had felt since yesterday, excusing myself for bed. Katie and Pansy hung back in the common room, playing card games with Blaise. 

Quickly changing into my pajamas, I threw my robes and clothes into a pile on the ground, not bothering to put them away properly. I climbed into bed, pulling the covers up to my chin. Surprisingly, I fell asleep within minutes. I was so exhausted that I didn’t wake when Pansy and Katie snuck back in hours later.

\---

My eyelids fluttered open, but the room was still dark. I lifted my head, reaching blindly for my wand. My hand skimmed my desk, my fingers eventually running over the handle of my wand. I picked it up, muttering “lumos.” The tip of my wand lit, causing my eyes to squint in the sudden light. My clock read two-thirty-three, and I groaned, flicking my wand off and falling back onto my bed. After what felt like half an hour of staring into the darkness, I pulled back the covers, swinging my legs off. I fumbled around my dresser for a pair of wool socks, pulling them on as I sat on my bed. I found the oversized green and silver striped sweater that I had taken from Pansy’s lost-and-found pile, slipping it over my head. 

I lit my wand again, quietly turning the knob and closing the bedroom door behind me. Holding my wand out in front of me, I padded out into the common room. It was quiet, the only sounds coming from the second hand of the grandfather clock and the crackling of the fire. Moonlight streamed in from the windows near the ceiling, which looked out just barely over the lake’s surface. I tip-toed to one of the leather couches, sitting down and tucking my legs underneath me.

I watched the fire for a few minutes, my eyes following a few embers that got loose, eventually dying out as they reached for the ceiling. Footsteps came from the boy’s wing, and I immediately flicked my wand off, praying to God it wasn’t a prefect. I retreated into the shadow of the couch, waiting to see who it was. 

Familiar blonde hair strode out from the shadows of the boy’s wing, coming to sit down on another leather couch, facing the fire. He hadn’t seen me yet, so I just barely readjusted myself, trying not to scare him.

Malfoy did jump, though, and nearly shot over the back of the couch. “Merlin, Olive,” he gasped once he noticed it was me, settling back into the leather. I muttered a quiet apology, though there was no meaning behind it. I curled against the arm of the couch, resting my head on my arm. We sat in silence for a few moments, the two of us watching the fire.

“What’re you doing up?” he asked quietly, breaking the tranquil atmosphere of the room.

“You’re only going to be nice to me when we’re alone, is that it?” I scoffed, thinking back to most of the tutoring sessions. Malfoy had a tendency to switch up in front of his friends, protecting his ego. In the low light of the room, I could make out Malfoy rolling his eyes, shaking his head before leaning it against the couch. 

“It was just a question, I don’t see anyone else in the common room at three in the morning,” he muttered, scooting down so he was laid out on the couch, his head resting on the armrest. He crossed his feet, followed by his arms over his chest. It was weird seeing him in anything but his normal robes. He was wearing a pair of black cotton sweatpants, paired with a sweater that had some professional Quidditch team’s logo on it. 

“Couldn’t sleep,” I stated the obvious, nuzzling my head further into my arm. “It’s clear why you aren’t a Ravenclaw.” I didn’t try to hide the sarcasm laced throughout my words. 

“Shut up,” Malfoy retorted under his breath, but he left it at that. 

A few minutes later, my eyelids were involuntarily closing until Malfoy spoke again.

“How was your Christmas?” my eyes fluttered back open, a yawn escaping my lips. 

“Uh, fine,” I mumbled, shrugging. I saw Malfoy nod, his gaze still trained on the fire. It reflected off his face, his sharp cheekbones casting a shadow down the sides of his cheeks. Finally getting the urge to sleep again, I stood up, stifling yet another yawn with my hand.

“G’night, Malfoy,” I whispered as I lit my wand, walking past him. He didn’t say anything, his eyes never leaving the fire. I trudged down the hallway, putting out my wand before I opened my bedroom door. Pansy and Katie were still asleep, so I quietly slipped back into my bed, quickly falling asleep.

\---

The game was at eleven the next morning, like it had been for the first game of fall term. Pansy had nearly robbed the lost-and-found stash dry for the first game, so she didn’t have any new Slytherin apparel. Thankfully, the snow had mostly melted by now, but the clouds still held Hogwarts in a cold embrace. 

I dressed in jeans and a Slytherin sweater, my robes on over top. The clouds looked like they were threatening rain, so I didn’t want to chance not having a hood. I wrapped a green and silver striped scarf around my neck, tying it loosely. Shoving gloves into my pockets, I followed Katie and Pansy out of the room, leaving to grab breakfast before the game. It was almost ten, but like Katie had warned, Pansy wanted to get there early. Surprisingly, Jack and Blaise were already sitting when we arrived, munching on some pancakes. I sat down on the bench next to Blaise, greeting the two of them. Pansy and Katie sat on the other side of the table, the three of us filling our plates quickly. 

Twenty minutes later, Pansy was ushering us out of the Great Hall, insisting that we couldn’t be late to the first game of spring term. I hung back with Jack, Blaise walking with Katie and Pansy ahead of us. Pansy led the way to the field, a few other students joining our group as we walked through the hallways. 

Sure enough, the Slytherin team was practicing before the game. Six of them were running drills, Flint hovering off to the side as he called out to the team. Malfoy’s hair still shone bright even in the overcast conditions, catching my eye. The metallic hardware of all of the brooms glinted under the sun rays that managed to escape the clouds. Given the weather conditions, the team wore goggles. I had thought they were quite funny-looking, but Jack disagreed, claiming that they looked professional.

“Come on, you guys,” Pansy huffed, walking backwards for a few seconds before she whipped around, marching to the box stand in the middle. The group of us followed her up the stairs, sitting once we reached the benches. I pulled my glove down the back of my hand, reading my watch. We still had thirty minutes until the game started, and I mentally cursed at Pansy for making us sit in the cold for that long.

The Ravenclaws took the field to warm up, pushing the Slytherin team to the sidelines. Pansy waved eagerly at Malfoy as he passed, who returned her wave with a quick head nod. 

Lee started to set up the announcement system with the help of McGonagall, cracking a few jokes as he checked the microphone. He started the pre-match games once the other stands began to fill with students and professors. Flitwick, as the Head of House for Ravenclaw, sat with McGonagall. 

“Let’s start with the Ravenclaws!” Lee shouted, his voice echoing around the field. The Ravenclaw stands erupted in cheers, the team still warming up on the field. The players did a few fly-by’s, Davies pumping his hands in the air. 

“And the Slytherins!” Lee called our house after the Ravenclaws had quieted down. Determined to out-yell them, the students in the three Slytherin stands started stomping, yelling, clapping, whatever could make noise. Lee reluctantly declared Slytherin the winner, making us yell out once more. 

When the clock started ticking down the last few minutes before the game started, Lee began to announce the team players, starting with Ravenclaw. Position by position, the seven Ravenclaw players flew out, circling the field a couple times before hovering on their side of the field. Lee then announced the Slytherin players, keeping the Seeker for last like he always did.

“And, now, for the first time in Quidditch history here at Hogwarts, we’ve got a Seeker position split by two players! For this game, Slytherins, you’ve got Draco Malfoy playing for the snitch!” Lee announced, and Malfoy flew out shortly after, hovering next to Flint. He sat back on his broom, holding on with one hand as his eyes swept over the stands. I swear, Pansy screamed louder than any other Slytherin when Lee announced Malfoy, even causing a few other students to stare at her in annoyance.

Madam Hooch blew her whistle, starting the game. The chasers on both teams ducked for the quaffle once it left Hooch’s hand, Montague grabbing hold and retreating immediately, tossing it to Crabbe, who shot off toward the goalposts. He hurled the quaffle, which bypassed Ravenclaw’s keeper and bounced off the post through the hoop, scoring us ten points. The Slytherin stands erupted in cheers again, and Crabbe circled back around to the middle.

My eyes looked up, seeing Malfoy and Cho hovering on either sides of the field, their eyes darting back and forth in search of the snitch. 

“Pucey just barely dodges a bludger!” Lee announced, drawing my attention back to the game. I saw Adrian twirling upside down, steadying himself on his broom before shooting off, chasing a Ravenclaw player. 

Twenty minutes later, Malfoy had barely moved, and Slytherin was up by a measly ten points. Jack was intently watching the game, his eyes darting around the field, in search of the snitch like he was playing. 

Montague tossed the quaffle in the air, quickly spinning on his broom before hitting it towards the goal. It missed by mere inches, causing the Slytherin stands to groan in unison. Jack’s hands went to his hair, holding it for a second before letting go, his eyes still on the field. Montague threw his right hand up, obviously pissed that he missed. 

A Ravenclaw chaser got a hold of the quaffle, zooming towards the Slytherin end of the field. Crabbe slammed into him and grabbed the back end of his broom, pushing it down. The sudden jerk sent the quaffle plummeting toward the ground, and the chaser almost down with it. He recovered, looking down at Hooch. Just as Pucey snatched the quaffle, Hooch blew her whistle, calling a foul on Crabbe. 

“Seems like Flint is going for size rather than skill this year,” Lee commented, and I could hear a sly smile through his voice. The audience could hear McGonagall whack him on the head with something, Lee wincing after. As much as I was annoyed at Hooch for calling a foul, I had to admit Lee’s remark was fairly funny.

The Slytherin stands groaned again, and Jack cursed under his breath, shaking his head. Blaise turned, shooting Jack a look that read, “what the hell was that?” Jack shrugged, leaning over the railing and shouting at Flint. 

In fifteen minutes, Slytherin was behind by forty points, which was sending Jack into absolute madness. 

“I swear, I would’ve caught the snitch by now,” he scoffed, eyeing Malfoy, who was still hovering high above the ground.

Suddenly, Cho dipped, racing toward the ground. The Ravenclaw stands jumped up in anticipation, screaming Cho’s name as she chased after the snitch. Malfoy was on her tail, but he was too late. 

Hooch blew her whistle, signifying the end of the game. Ravenclaw had won, Cho flying around the Ravenclaw stands as she held the snitch high in the air. Jack and Blaise groaned, frustrated with the outcome of the game. The Slytherins quietly left the stands, absolutely no excitement in the air. Some Ravenclaws ran past us on the way back to Hogwarts, taunting us. Jack went to flip them off, but Snape suddenly appeared, shoving Jack’s head down harshly.

By the time we were standing in the common room, my hands were frozen. Peeling off my gloves, I rubbed my hands together aggressively, crossing the room to the fire. I sat a careful distance away from the fire, holding out my hands so they could warm. Jack joined me, sitting on the hearth across from me. 

“Well, Malfoy tried,” Pansy snapped at a fourth-year Slytherin, who was complaining that Malfoy cost us the game. The boy waved Pansy off, leaving for the boy’s dormitories. Katie, Blaise and Pansy collapsed on the same couch, Blaise kicking his feet onto the table. 

The group watched as Blaise and Katie picked up a card game, passing the time until the Slytherin team entered the doors. Montague, Pucey and Flint veered off to the boy’s wing as soon as they entered, swiftly disappearing.

“You played a great game, Draco! Much better than Jack,” Pansy said, kneeling up on the couch. Malfoy avoided her gaze, looking at the fire like he had last night. 

Jack scoffed beside me, his face scrunching up, clearly taking offense. Pansy didn’t look over, her attention staying on Malfoy.

“Draco? Did you hear me?” Pansy asked, slipping off the couch and standing up. She took a few steps toward Malfoy, interlocking her fingers in front of her as she nervously cracked her knuckles. 

“Yeah,” he suddenly snapped, his eyes darting from the fire to her. She swallowed, and sat back down, pulling her knees up to her chest. I sucked in a smile, finding his reaction probably a bit too funny.

“It was your first game back, don’t wor-” Blaise started, but he got cut off by Malfoy, who scoffed.

“I know,” he said curtly, his eyes bouncing around the group. He didn’t say anything else, instead turning and disappearing down the boy’s hallway. Crabbe scrambled off the couch, trailing Malfoy.

We sat in an awkward silence for a few moments, nobody mentioning Malfoy’s behavior. I figured it was about losing the game, and I think the rest did too. Quietly, Katie and Blaise continued their card game. 

A couple minutes later, Pansy excused herself, scurrying down the hallway towards our dormitory. The rest of the afternoon was spent with Jack, Katie, and Blaise, the four of us mainly gossiping about who was pairing up for the Valentine’s Day Hogsmeade trip. Frankly, I was just looking forward to a change of scenery. 

“Flint is so going to ask Amelia,” Blaise shook his head, disagreeing with Katie’s guess. She shrugged, not giving up. 

“I dunno, he seems to flirt pretty hard with Brynn at dinner.”

I looked over at Jack, who returned my confused expression. Leaning back against the stone of the fireplace, I listened as Blaise and Katie continued to bicker. Katie eventually talked, or possibly annoyed, Blaise into surrendering. The four of us eventually decided to call it a night, waving goodbye to one another as we split.

\---

That night, Pansy hid herself away under her covers, chocolate frog wrappers littering the floor around her bed. She had told Katie and I that she felt Malfoy was ignoring her, and she was worried that he wouldn’t ask her to the Hogsmeade trip for Valentine’s Day. Katie was doing her best to console her, sitting on Pansy’s bed and rubbing her back. She shot me a look when Pansy had shoved her face into her pillow, begging me to say something.

My hand froze, my quill hovering over my Potions homework that I had been doing in bed.

“Uh, you could ask Pucey, Pansy,” I suggested, shrugging at Katie in an “I-don’t-know” sort of way. She rolled her eyes, patting Pansy’s back a few times. I winced at my lame advice, racking my brain to think of something better to add. “It could make Malfoy jealous, maybe?”

At that, Pansy raised her head off her pillow, turning so she could look at me. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand, her eyes red and puffy from crying. “You think that would work?” she sniffled.

I shrugged, looking back down at my homework. “Maybe.”

A weak smile formed on her face before she collapsed back down on her bed. Katie stood, leaving the bedroom to get ready for bed. I stared down at the parchment for a few more minutes, before finally deciding that I couldn’t focus anymore tonight. Sighing, I stacked the textbook and paper on my nightstand, resting my quill on top. I was still using Malfoy’s, but it was nearly out of ink, so I was using it sparingly.

Pansy was asleep by the time Katie came back, and I was under my sheets as well. I laid awake as I heard Katie’s breathing slow, small snores eventually escaping her mouth. Turning onto my side, I slipped an arm under my pillow and looked out the window, which was high on the ceiling like the ones in the common room. 

Over the next hour, I watched the moon leap across the window. I was restless, constantly moving in an effort to get comfortable. Reaching for my wand on my nightstand, I murmured the lighting spell and read my clock. One-thirty-six. I flicked my wand off, resting it on my stomach as I turned onto my back.

Twenty minutes later, my eyes were still wide open, my mind running rampant. I slipped out of bed, grabbing a robe that I had left on the ground. Shrugging it onto my shoulders, I left the room, walking down the hallway. If I couldn’t sleep, I might as well practice chess so I could finally beat Jack. 

A small yawn pushed past my lips as I entered the common room. I could see the shared box under the table, so I tip-toed to the couches, sitting down before leaning down to retrieve the box. Just as I was about to set it on the table, a quiet ‘psst’ came from the other side of the room. The box slipped out of my grasp, the pieces clattering together as it hit the wood. I twirled around in my seat, lighting my wand and trying to see who it came from. 

Malfoy was sitting by the windows, his head leaning against the stone outline of the windows. I looked out quickly, seeing some sort of an amphibian swim by, a small light dangling between its eyes.

“Christ, Malfoy,” I breathed out, bringing a hand to my chest to try and slow my heart. The painting above the fireplace complained about the light, and I murmured an apology before killing the spell. I slumped into the leather as Malfoy stood, coming to sit on the couch to my right. 

“Is this a regular thing now?” I muttered, still annoyed that Malfoy had scared me. He shrugged, kicking his feet up on the table like Blaise had earlier.

“You’re the one who can’t sleep all of a sudden,” he noted, crossing his ankles. I leaned forward on my elbows, opening the box and taking out the pieces as quiet as I could.

“Chess?” Malfoy questioned, but his tone wasn’t as sarcastic as I expected. I nodded, arranging the black pawns, and then the white.

“Jack’s pieces trust him, that’s why you keep losing,” he stated simply, like it was obvious. I huffed, shoving the box away from me in frustration, it sliding a few inches before coming to a stop.

“Of course,” I mumbled and crossed my arms, glaring down at the pieces. A small smile danced across Malfoy’s face, before he quickly wiped it off with a tiny cough. 

“Plus, you’re absolute rubbish,” he added, and my mouth hung open, taking offense.

“Never one to be subtle, are you Malfoy?” I hummed, shooting a glare at Malfoy before looking back at the fire. I heard him exhale quietly in a small snort.

The two of us sat in silence, the fire crackling loudly. I adjusted my position, laying my head on the armrest and stretching my legs out. 

“I don’t know why I lost the game today,” Malfoy blurted out, like it was a sudden realization. I bit my lip, not sure what to say. It seemed so out of the blue, but it also felt like he was getting it off his chest.

“When we play Gryffindor, I can blame it on Potter. But today, I just couldn’t keep up with Cho.” Malfoy continued to talk, but his gaze never left his hands, which were fidgeting in his lap. He twisted his rings, constantly taking one off and moving it to another finger. My comforting skills had been drained dry by Pansy earlier, so I bit down on my lower lip, trying to think of something. I considered jabbing him with an insult, like he would’ve if the roles were reversed, but I decided against it.

“Uh,” I started, slowly moving myself up so I could support my weight on my elbow. “It was your first game of the entire school year?” I tried to say confidently, but my words lifted into a question. I cleared my throat, reaching up to scratch my head. 

I sighed, bringing my voice back down to my normal register. “I mean, I don’t know a lot about quidditch, but I’m pretty sure this wasn’t a make-it-or-break-it game.”

Malfoy nodded slowly, twirling a ring around his thumb. He cleared his throat, looking up so he was staring into the fire. “Yeah.”

Malfoy’s curt response caused me to scoff inwardly, slightly annoyed that he just brushed off my attempt at empathizing with him. I rested my head back down on the armrest, my eyelids closing against my will. Malfoy didn’t say anything else, so I let my conscious gradually slip away. I don’t know how long I had fallen asleep for, but after what felt like mere seconds, Malfoy was poking my shoulder with something pointed. 

I opened my eyes, immediately squinting under the light his wand produced. Batting his wand away, I groaned and rolled onto my back, throwing my right forearm over my eyes.

“Get up,” he whispered, a slight edge to his tone. “You don’t wanna get caught by a prefect.” 

Reaching up to rub my eye with my fist, I stood. Malfoy gave me a final nod before he turned, disappearing into the boy’s wing seconds later. I watched him leave before I headed back to my dormitory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question: what’s your favorite harry potter book/movie?? I think mine has def gotta be POA or OOTP
> 
> Also, tomorrow’s chapter is probably going to be up later than normal! I procrastinated a lot of stuff this week, so tonight is looking really busy and I don’t think I’ll have time to write like I usually do lol


	17. chapter sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for 4k hits!! I honestly can’t believe people are actually reading this.  
> I also realized I’m 16 chapters in, which is also insane, I guess I took slow-burn more literally than I thought lolol
> 
> Also sorry for not updating for a couple days!! I ended up procrastinating longer than I should’ve and then Saturday was completely busy for me

The Weasley twins were standing outside the Great Hall before breakfast, hoping to catch every student that walked past them. Fred was clutching a sheet of parchment, a quill tucked behind his ear. As he was trying to get the attention of a group of third-year Ravenclaws, George was talking to some other Gryffindors.

The Ravenclaws scurried past Fred, crossing in front of me. Fred looked up, making eye contact with me and his face broke into a smile.

“Olive!” he called, waved me over. I pulled Katie and Jack along with me, curious as to what the twins were trying to sell now.

“Would you be interested in purchasing a Weasley’s Wacky Walentine for a loved one?” he asked, a large smile on his face. He pulled a few cards out of his robe pocket, and I saw that they had added an extra ‘V’ onto ‘Valentine’ to make it a ‘W’. I raised an eyebrow when he mentioned “walentine,” causing him to roll his eyes.

“We couldn’t think of anything to swap for ‘Valentine’,” he shrugged, handing Katie a couple cards. She started to flip through them, chuckling at a few of the punchlines the boys had written. The fourteenth wasn’t until a few more days, but Fred claimed they needed a few days for ‘processing,’ his fingers hooking the air as he explained.

Jack took a card from Katie, opening it up, a spray of heart-shaped confetti exploding in his face. He spluttered, spitting a few pieces back out.

“This is sick, man,” Jack laughed, reaching up and wiping his face with the sleeve of his robe. A few more hearts fluttered off, settling on the ground.

“Five sickles a card, or four cards for a galleon,” Fred took the card back, pocketing it as Jack immediately reached for his schoolbag, digging for money.

“I’ll take a couple,” Katie added, carefully looking inside her card, as if she was scared it was going to explode as well. I nodded too, a grin on my face.

Jack bought eight off of Fred, not telling us who he was sending them to. Him and Fred snickered as Fred wrote down the order, tucking the quill behind his ear once he was done. 

I sent one to the two of them, as well as Blaise, Luna, and Ginny. Katie begged me to tell her who I sent them to, but I waved her off, saying it was a surprise. Once he got all our orders and money, Fred told us they would arrive in our first class on Friday. Five minutes later, we were sitting at the Slytherin table, plates piled high with fruit, eggs and toast.

From where we were sitting, we could still see Fred and George flanking the entrance to the Great Hall, continuing to stop students. Before she joined us, Pansy bought a few, giggling as she sat down next to Katie.

“I sent one to Pucey asking him to Hogsmeade,” she said as she reached for a banana, a smug smile on her face. “Thanks for the idea, Olive. I can’t wait to see Malfoy’s face.”

I raised my eyebrows as a sign of recognition, giving her a small smile. “Anytime.”

Looking over Katie’s shoulder, I saw Malfoy and Crabbe trying to enter the Great Hall, but George had jumped in front of them. With a dirty look, Malfoy shoved him out of the way, rolling his eyes as he sauntered over to the table. Crabbe hung back, buying a couple valentines from the twins. Malfoy sat down next to Jack, barely mumbling a “good morning” to the group. Pansy eyed Malfoy, her gaze eventually dropping to her muffin as she began to pick at it.

Over the past few weeks, I had tried hinting at Katie that Blaise had taken a liking to her. I probably wasn’t as subtle as I could’ve been, but after figuring that Jack didn’t reciprocate her feelings, I felt like she deserved to move on from him. As I saw Blaise enter through the doors, I nudged her with my foot, catching her eye before looking Blaise’s direction, raising my chin a bit. She turned, and a large smile formed on Blaise’s face. He sat down next to her, setting his bag down on the bench beside himself.

The two quickly fell into a conversation, so I looked away and down the table. Jack was busy shoving eggs into his mouth, Pansy was still picking at her muffin, and Malfoy was staring hard into the wood, his fist clenched tightly around his fork. I returned my attention to my oatmeal, resting my head on my hand as I absent-mindedly swirled my spoon through the oats.

Breakfast finished fifteen minutes later, the group breaking up to attend class. I walked to Hagrid’s hut with Jack, Crabbe and Malfoy behind us. The snow had melted, the grass of the grounds slowly turning green again. Hagrid has us work with the nifflers as usual, this time cleaning enclosures and creating diet plans for the rest of the week. 

Lupin had avoided the use of the boggart for a couple weeks, much to the dismay of many students. I heard that Potter’s boggart was a dementor, which I think pushed Lupin past the edge of feeling comfortable with students facing their fears. After my class had begged him nonstop for the past week, Lupin finally caved.

Today, the rest of the class would face the boggart, and those who had already gone would sit on the sides, watching. When we entered the Dark Arts classroom, Lupin had already pushed the tables to the perimeter of the room, the wardrobe standing in the middle. My gaze hovered on where my dead body had been, and I nearly came to a stop. Jack must’ve noticed, as he reached out, quickly tugging me along with him. I blinked a few times, clearing my vision. 

The two of us sat on the floor, watching the rest of the class line up. Malfoy was first, a smug smirk on his face as he eyed the wardrobe. Crabbe stood behind him, nervously grasping his wand. Lupin had the line recite the incantation a few times, jogging the memory of a few students. 

With a wave of his wand, the knob turned like it had weeks ago, letting the boggart free. My eyes darted from the wardrobe door to Malfoy, who was giving it a hard stare. I almost missed Crabbe mouthing something behind him, staring just as hard at the wardrobe. A large insect crawled out of the wardrobe, the door flying open and hitting the side. My eyebrow cocked, confused as to why that was Malfoy’s fear. It looked similar to an ant, with long antennae and pincers, but it had nearly twelve legs, its feet tapping on the stone. 

Malfoy smirked, raising his wand and calling the spell. The insect quickly shrunk, and then was squashed on the ground like it had been stepped on by a giant foot. Malfoy laughed with the rest of the class before walking over to us, leaning against a table. His arms crossed over his chest as he watched Crabbe approach the boggart. 

It turned into a massive dragonfly, whose wings began to flap and it hovered above the ground. The sound of the wings were nearly deafening, a few students clapping their hands over their ears. I did the same, wincing as I watched Crabbe ready his spell. I found it odd that both of their boggarts were insects, which made Crabbe’s whispering even more suspicious. Malfoy had always insisted he had no fear, which made me surprised to see an ant, of all things, crawl out of the wardrobe. I glanced over at Jack to see if he had noticed as well, but he had busied himself with tracing his finger over the crevices of the stone floor.

As the class continued, I bit my lip in thought, racking my brain for a reasonable explanation. Something felt off about it deep down, but I couldn’t quite place a finger on it. Getting frustrated, I gave up, joining the student’s laughter when a large boat turned into a plastic toy.

\---

Three days later, it was Friday morning. The butterflies in my stomach woke me, as I had been excitedly waiting for the valentine delivery all week. Dressing quickly, I joined Pansy and Katie at breakfast, eventually splitting with them for class. Jack had been missing from the breakfast table this morning, so I assumed he had overslept. My feet carried me quickly down the staircase into the dungeons, hitting each step in rapid succession. Jack was sitting at the table when I entered, and he gave me a quick smile as I sat down.

“Happy early Valentine’s day,” he said, leaning forward on the table. 

“Happy early Valentine’s day,” I parroted, smiling widely. Fred had promised me an extra amount of confetti for Jack’s card, so I was excited to watch him open it.

“It’s come to my attention that the Weasley boys have organized a valentine delivery,” Snape said, the class quieting. “You will have three minutes from the time the delivery happens to the continuation of the lecture.”

Honestly, I was surprised that Snape had given us time to open them. I had expected him to instruct us to stow them away until after class. Snape began to talk about some potion, but I was only half-listening.

Five minutes later, the classroom door blasted open, envelopes suddenly filling the air. The class immediately turned away from Snape, a rush of excitement traveling through the room. The envelopes fluttered about, eventually settling on the desks. Four piled on mine, fifteen on Jack’s. I snuck a quick glance behind me, seeing at least eight in front of Malfoy, and a few for Crabbe. Snape paused the lecture, leaning against a table as his eyes swept over the class. Once the last envelope landed, the class erupted in a mix of talking, giggling and the sound of envelopes being ripped open.

I picked mine up, shuffling through. A smile sat on my lips as I saw the twin’s handwriting, which scrawled out ‘Olive.’ 

Jack pretended to fan himself with the valentines, causing me to scoff. “You are such a flirt,” I rolled my eyes, picking a random one and tearing it open. It was from Katie, a joke sitting in the middle of the card with a couple drawn hearts. The other three were from Jack, Luna, and Ginny, which I had expected.

“All first and second-years,” I heard Malfoy scoff from behind me, the sound of envelopes hitting the table moments later. Crabbe mumbled a name of a Slytherin girl I vaguely knew, another third-year. He smiled down at the valentine, tucking it away under the cover of his potions textbook.

“What do we have here?” Jack teased, waving the valentine from me in front of my face. He opened it, immediately met with at least twice the confetti from the example card. Snape looked over at the sound, his eyes narrowing at Jack. I stifled a giggle, finding Jack’s confetti-covered face too funny to not laugh at. 

“Unbelievable,” Malfoy muttered behind me, shaking his head at Jack. I turned around, resting my arm on the edge of his table. 

“You’re just ticked Pansy didn’t send you one,” I smirked, the sentence coming out of my mouth before I could think about it. 

“I don’t care that she didn’t send me one,” he snapped back, and something about his tone told me he wasn’t kidding. I raised my eyebrows, giving him one last look before turning around. Jack was brushing confetti off every surface in a two-foot radius, red and pink hearts littering the ground. Before the lecture continued, Snape ordered Jack to perform a cleaning spell in front of everyone. 

The rest of Friday’s classes went well, Professor Flitwick surprising everyone in Charms with chocolate covered strawberries. He let us go early, sending us off to lunch.

The Great Hall was bustling with excitement, students fawning over the valentines they had received. As Jack and I approached the Slytherin table, I could see Pucey sitting with Pansy, both of them with wide smiles on their faces. Katie was alongside Blaise, a gentle blush on her face as they talked.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were behind us, as they had followed us from Charms. Jack and I sat down across from Katie and Blaise, causing Pucey to stand. 

“I’ll find you in the common room at eleven-thirty tomorrow? We can walk to Hogsmeade together,” Pucey asked Pansy, causing her to nod excitedly. My eyes darted to Malfoy as I was setting my bag down, seeing that he was completely uninterested in Pansy and Pucey’s conversation. A large smile crossed Pucey’s face as he nodded, turning and leaving to sit with his fourth-year friends. Pansy shyly waved him goodbye, turning around and wiggling her eyebrows at me.

“Adrian said yes to Hogsmeade,” she said, a large smile on her face. I congratulated her, somewhat relieved that it seemed like she was moving on from Malfoy. Before she returned her attention back to her lunch, I watched as her eyes glanced over at Malfoy. He was laughing at Goyle, making fun of him for sending a valentine to some Slytherin girl. Sadness flashed across her face for a second, but she immediately hung her head, hiding from the rest of the group.

I turned my attention away from the two of them, catching onto the tail end of Katie teasing Jack about the amount of valentines he got. Blaise joined in as well, playfully shuffling through Jack’s cards. Somehow, Jack had snagged a valentine from a fourth-year Slytherin girl, who he claimed he had never talked to before.

I was half-listening, mainly focused on pushing the lentils around in my bowl with a spoon. It was clear that Malfoy thought the holiday was stupid, I had seen him push George away on Tuesday. I hummed to myself, my fingers lazily twisting around the spoon handle. Too lazily, as the spoon slipped out of my grasp, clattering onto the wood of the Slytherin table. The soup splattered out of the bowl, some lentils landing on Jack’s robe sleeve. The group quieted, Pansy looking up to see what had happened. 

Pulling his sleeve taut against his arm, Jack lifted his elbow and craned his neck to see the lentils dotting the material. His mouth curved into a smile, eventually laughing and causing me to join. 

“Sorry, Jack,” I apologized through a chuckle, reaching for a napkin and beginning to blot at his sleeve. Jack shrugged, assuring me it wasn’t a big deal. I rested my free hand on his shoulder, my left covered by the napkin as I tried to clean his robe. Glancing up, I saw Malfoy looking at the two of us, his mouth drawn into a tight line. His eyes traveled to my grip on Jack’s shoulder, and his jaw clenched. 

Hesitantly, I withdrew both hands, setting the napkin on the table. Malfoy looked away quickly, resting his jaw on his palm and turned away from me. 

“All set,” I cleared my throat, looking up at Jack. He nodded, shooting me a grin before biting into his sandwich. 

By the end of lunch, Blaise had officially asked Katie to Hogsmeade. Crabbe had clapped excitedly, following Jack’s lead, until Malfoy harshly grabbed his arm and glared at him. The group left lunch with mostly good spirits, Malfoy and Goyle sauntering off to their next class. 

Katie nearly talked my ear off on the walk to Muggle Studies, ecstatic that Blaise had asked her. I chuckled as I listened, slipping in a few “oohs” and “aahs.”

Muggle Studies and Transfiguration went by quickly, Burbage lecturing on how muggles celebrate Valentine’s Day without magic. The Slytherin team didn’t have practice as they weren’t playing this weekend, so Jack joined us on the walk back to the common room. He complained about Herbology the entire way, moaning that he kept getting stung by the nettles.

Blaise caught up with us as well, taking Katie away for a walk around the grounds. Although it was February, Hogwarts had the occasional sunny days, even though they weren’t warm. Jack and I continued alone, skipping down the stone steps that led us to the common room. 

Jack let us through with the password, letting me in first. I was eager for a nap, so I nearly sprinted to the girl’s wing before Jack called out, stopping me. I turned, resting my hands on the straps of my schoolbag.

“Do you wanna go to Hogsmeade together, maybe? It seems like everyone’s pairing up, so it’s gonna be all lovey-dovey and gross the entire time,” Jack scrunched his nose up, shaking his head. I laughed, shrugging. Before I could answer, a flash of blonde hair in the boy’s wing caught my attention. I closed my mouth, peering over Jack’s shoulder and narrowed my eyes, trying to see into the darkness of the hallway. Who I had assumed was Malfoy had immediately turned on his heel, retreating out of sight. He hadn’t even stepped foot in the common room. 

When I didn’t answer, Jack turned as well, curious as to what I was staring at. He looked back at me, and I shrugged, frowning. Jack took the few steps towards me, his body a mere foot from mine. It seemed like every week, he had grown another couple inches, his stature larger than mine. 

“We can just go as friends,” he said quietly. So quietly that if Malfoy was still there, he couldn’t have heard.

“Of course,” I whispered back, giving Jack a nod. He gave me one last smile before he turned, walking towards his dormitory. I took a few steps backwards before I spun on my heel, walking down the girl’s wing. 

Pansy was out, probably with Pucey. At lunch, I had overheard him promising her that he would teach her how to fly a broom, and given the lack of quidditch practice, this afternoon would be a perfect time. I tossed my bag on the ground, quickly followed by my robes. Falling back onto my bed, I stared out the small window near the ceiling. The gray skies were slowly being replaced by blue ones, occasionally joined by white clouds. 

A nap overcame me sooner than I expected, easily slipping away into a world of dreams consisting of chocolate strawberries and puppies.

\---

The next morning, both Katie and Pansy were in an extremely good mood. Pansy had even offered to braid Katie’s hair, which was unheard of. Before a quidditch game in November, Katie had begged Pansy to do her hair, claiming that she never learned how. The two had gotten into a tiny screaming match, which concluded with Pansy swearing she would never do Katie’s hair. I woke to the two of them on Katie’s bed, Pansy on her knees behind her as she wove Katie’s hair into two French braids.

“Good morning!” Katie sang as soon as she noticed I was awake, shooting me a wide smile. I groaned, rolling over and planting my face directly into my pillow. She giggled, reaching over and throwing a chocolate heart at the back of my head. I raised my head, rubbing the back as my other hand fumbled for the chocolate in my sheets.

“My mom sent a package in the morning mail, thought I would share it with you guys,” Katie explained, pointing over at a small brown box on her nightstand. I propped myself up on my elbow as I unwrapped the chocolate, popping it into my mouth. Glancing over at my clock, I saw that I had missed breakfast, so I hoped the chocolate would hold me over until the Three Broomsticks. 

I dressed as Pansy finished Katie’s hair, tying the ends with two pink ribbons. Within twenty minutes, I looked a little more awake and Pansy was practically bouncing off the walls, excited to meet Pucey in the common room. Blaise had also promised to walk with Katie, the two of them had made plans to meet in the common room as well. 

At eleven-thirty, the three of us left the room, ensuring we had enough money and layers to keep us warm during the visit. The boys were sitting on the couch, Jack perched on the armrest. Katie and Pansy immediately paired up with Blaise and Pucey, the four of them leaving the common room together. I waited for Jack as he shrugged on his coat, the collar popped up against his neck. 

I eyed it, the material and cut looking rather expensive. He must’ve noticed as he playfully shoved my shoulder, causing me to stumble a few steps.

“Christmas present,” he said, shoving his hands into the pockets as we ducked through the doorway, letting us out into the dungeons.

Malfoy, Goyle and Crabbe trailed us, the three of them hadn’t asked anyone to Hogsmeade. Katie and Pansy’s laughter could be heard echoing between the dungeon walls, even though they were far ahead of us. The walk to Hogsmeade was filled with small talk, mainly making fun of the couples that we saw on the way. 

“Get a room, Flint!” Jack yelled as we saw Flint and his date kissing against a tree, just a few feet off the path. He raised a hand blindly, flipping us off but the two never stopped kissing. Jack rolled his eyes, scoffing jokingly. 

By the time Jack and I entered Hogsmeade, the Three Broomsticks and Madam Puddifoot’s were nearly overflowing, so we opted for walking around the small village. Decorations littered the stores, paper hearts of hues of pink and red plastered to windows and cut-out cupids hanging from ceilings.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle veered off into the quill shop, Malfoy muttering something about needing new quills.

Jack and I meandered through the village, walking slowly and side-by-side. 

“Katie liked me, didn’t she?” he asked suddenly, causing my gaze to snap up to meet his. My eyebrows furrowed together, wondering what would’ve caused Jack to make the realization.

“Yeah,” I paused, biting my lip. “She did.”

He nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets as we continued to walk. The village wasn’t extremely large, so we were making laps around the shops. We had taken a shortcut through an alleyway, but once we accidentally stumbled across a couple Hufflepuffs making out, we decided to stick to the main streets.

Jack didn’t say anything else, so I decided to drop the topic. Seeing that the Three Broomsticks had become less busy, we decided to slip in and grab a couple butterbeers. Most of the single tables were taken by couples, so Jack and I found a larger one in the back corner. It was nestled between two windows, a single rose in a vase in the center of the table. I kicked my feet up on the chair next to me as we waited for the butterbeers, Jack doing the same. 

Just as Madam Rosmerta sat the glasses down, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle walked through the doors. Malfoy removed his hat as his eyes swept the inn, looking for an empty table. I averted my gaze, hoping he wouldn’t see Jack and I. 

My heart dropped as Jack suddenly waved, catching Goyle’s attention. I sent a glare towards Jack, but he didn’t notice. Goyle pulled the two others over, and the three of them dropped around the table. I rolled my eyes as Malfoy sat next to me, pushing my feet off the chair. 

I tuned the boys out, busying myself by playing with the salt and pepper shakers. Fifteen minutes later, Katie and Blaise had joined us, followed by Pansy and Pucey. I groaned inwardly, leaning my head on my palm. 

Jack gently kicked my shin under the table, and I raised my head, looking at him. His eyes quickly glanced over at Pansy, who was staring at Malfoy even though Pucey was telling the group a story. I smirked, looking back at Jack. He chuckled, causing me to as well.

“Do you two ever stop flirting?” Malfoy snapped beside me, but his tone was low and reserved. The rest of the group carried on talking, not hearing Malfoy’s comment. I shot him a look, and I’m sure Jack did too.

“Why’d you even come, Malfoy?” I scoffed, shaking my head. “You obviously hate it.”

“I needed new quills,” he answered sharply, sneering at me. I turned my attention back to Jack, blocking Malfoy from my view. 

Thirty minutes later, Jack and I decided to return early to Hogwarts, simply bored of the village. Along with Katie and Pansy, Blaise and Pucey wanted to stay behind and eat an early dinner at the inn. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle joined Jack and I in the walk back, but they hung behind us. Most of the students were still at Hogsmeade, as we found the Hogwarts grounds to be desolate and quiet. 

As we entered the common room, Jack quickly left for his dormitory, needing to start the homework he had procrastinated. I was about to head for my room when Malfoy called my name. I turned, seeing that the two of us were the only ones in the common room. Crabbe and Goyle must’ve gone back to their dormitory already. 

“Uh, wait a second,” Malfoy muttered, rummaging around the pockets of his robes. I watched cautiously, waiting.

“Here,” he finally said, pulling a quill out of his pocket. I looked at it first, extremely confused as to why he was giving me a quill. At a closer look, I could see that it was the same type as the one he had given me in the fall term. 

Hesitantly, I reached out, taking the quill from him. “Why?” I asked, twirling the quill between my fingers.

“I ran out of ink on mine, so I figured you did too,” Malfoy shrugged, shoving his hands in his robe pockets. I eyed him warily, and then looked back down at the quill.

“Plus, it’s not like you’ve gotten any better at writing with a normal quill,” he continued, the insult a bit more hurtful than he probably meant for it to be. I nodded slowly, giving him a small smile.

“Thanks, Malfoy,” I said, taking a few steps backwards towards the girl’s wing.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Wilkinson,” he muttered, before he turned and walked towards the boy’s dormitories. I stood in place, watching him leave as my fingers absent-mindedly ran over the shaft of the quill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writer’s block is a bitch and I hate it


	18. chapter seventeen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning, the first part of this chapter is basically a rewrite of the last chapter but in Draco’s POV! Pls gimme a break i’m trying to be creative hahahahah

MALFOY’S POV

Ever since Olive’s boggart, I had been nervous to face mine. Especially after Wilkinson had guessed it was my father, which I feared it was. Internally, I had greatly appreciated Lupin’s cowardice, which let me forget about the boggart for a few weeks. 

Which is why I entered the Dark Arts classroom mentally cursing at every other student in the class. They had begged Lupin lecture after lecture, until his weak little backbone finally cracked. I saw Wilkinson and Simmons sitting together, along with Blaise and a few other students who had already faced their boggarts. Irritated, I dropped my bag on the stone floor next to Crabbe’s. 

I had talked Crabbe into letting me use his boggart, saying that I wanted to pass the assignment. He fully believed that I didn’t have any fears, so I would have to use his. My stomach was in knots as we lined up, facing the wardrobe. I had volunteered myself to go first, wanting to get this over with. 

When Wilkinson froze, I had seen Lupin jump in front of her, which immediately changed the boggart as soon as he looked at it. Hoping it would work the same, I averted my gaze the second Lupin unlocked the wardrobe, letting Crabbe peer over my shoulder.

“It worked,” Crabbe whispered, and I dropped my gaze to see a large insect that resembled an ant. Part of me was confused as to why Crabbe’s biggest fear was an insect, but I brushed it off as I raised my wand. With an easy flick, I called out the incantation and the insect immediately shrunk. I laughed with the rest of the class, watching as the insect became squashed under an invisible foot. Satisfied, I turned and walked to a table near Wilkinson and Simmons, leaning up against it.

I watched as the boggart shifted into a large dragonfly, Crabbe freezing for a moment before casting the spell at it. I glanced over at Wilkinson, who looked deep in thought as her eyes searched the stone floor. 

\---

I dreaded Friday the whole week, annoyed with hearing nothing about the Weasley’s valentines and the Hogsmeade trip day after day. At breakfast, Goyle was talking about the valentine he had sent to another Slytherin, but I ignored him, not listening. We were sitting a bit further down from Pansy and Katie, as we hardly sat with them when Jack and Blaise weren’t there.

As Goyle continued, I looked up seeing Wilkinson bouncing into the Great Hall. Her face lit up in a smile as she saw Katie and Pansy, immediately running over and sitting with them. The three huddled together, probably talking about the damn valentines. I watched as Wilkinson threw her head back in a laugh, finding something Katie said terribly funny. Her hair cascaded down over her shoulders as she brought her head back down, resting her jaw in her palm.

“Malfoy?” Crabbe asked, breaking my gaze. I cleared my throat, sitting up straight.

“What?” I snapped, glaring at Crabbe. He shifted under my gaze, his eyes darting over to Goyle.

“We were just wondering if you bought any valentines from the Weasleys,” Goyle said, shrugging.

“Of course not,” I scoffed, shaking my head. “Do you really think I’d give a donation to that worthless excuse of a family?”

Goyle raised his eyebrows, looking away. I rolled my eyes, turning back to my breakfast and grabbed a slice of toast, taking an aggressive bite. When I looked back up, Wilkinson, Pansy, and Katie were gone.

Ten minutes later, Crabbe and I walked to potions, entering the classroom with a few moments to spare. We sat behind Wilkinson and Simmons as usual. 

“It’s come to my attention that the Weasley boys have organized a valentine delivery,” Snape said, addressing the class. “You will have three minutes from the time the delivery happens to the continuation of the lecture.”

My mind drifted as Snape started, my gaze wandering around the room. I rested my head on my hand, slightly bored as I had already learned the material Snape was teaching. 

A few minutes later, the classroom door burst open, numerous envelopes filling the air. Crabbe sat up beside me, a wide smile on his face as he searched the air, hoping for valentines addressed to him. I groaned, sitting back on the stool and swatting away a couple envelopes that got too close. They fell to the ground, where they stayed for a few moments before lifting themselves into the air and weakly flying to the recipient. 

I hadn’t expected any valentines, so I was surprised when a sizable stack landed in front of me. Curious, I reached out and shuffled through them, my eyebrows furrowing at a few names. 

“All first and second-years,” I scoffed, throwing the stack back down on the table. They bounced together once, before they slid apart. Crabbe nodded, holding one up from another Slytherin girl. 

“Marisa,” he smiled, and I raised my eyebrows in fake surprise, watching as he tucked it under the cover of his potions textbook.

“What do we have here?” I heard Simmons laugh, waving an envelope in front of Wilkinson’s face. She swatted his hand away and I felt my heart seize. I don’t know why I felt like punching Simmons’ face in, but I just did. The card exploded in confetti as soon as he opened it, which made me feel a bit better until he burst into laughter yet again.

“Unbelievable,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. My gaze snapped to Wilkinson as she turned, shooting me a look as she rested her arm on the edge of the table. 

“You’re just ticked Pansy didn’t send you one,” she smirked, the corner of her mouth turned up. My eyes fell on her lips for a second, before I forced them back to meet hers. I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. 

“I don’t care that she didn’t send me one,” I snapped, meaning every word I said. Her eyes widened for a second, before she raised her eyebrows and turned around. The rest of Potions was spent barely listening to Snape, and the same went for Charms.

At lunch, Pansy was making a huge deal about Pucey taking her to Hogsmeade. She was so loud, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Gryffindor table could hear her across the Great Hall. I was trying to distract myself by talking to Goyle and Crabbe, the three of us discussing the shops we wanted to stop into on Saturday. Crabbe mentioned new inkpots, as the ones he had gotten for Christmas had already dried up since he constantly forgot to cap them. I rolled my eyes, trying to talk him into the quills that my father preferred, telling him that they could last an entire school year. The ones he had bought me last summer were still at least half-full, and could easily carry me through June.

A metallic clatter was heard up and down the Slytherin table, and I turned, half-expecting it to be Pansy attempting to get my attention. Instead, I found Wilkinson staring widely at Simmons’ sleeve, lentils splattered over the material.

The two were laughing, Simmons pulling his robe tight against his arm. Wilkinson started to dab at the lentils, her free hand resting on his shoulder. My stomach tensed like it had in potions, my heart feeling it was pounding out of my chest. I eyed her hand, my gaze hard and firm. 

Wilkinson looked up, pausing from cleaning Simmons’ robes. Unconsciously, my jaw clenched in anger, and her hand dropped from his shoulder, the other following shortly after. 

I hated feeling so out of control, like I couldn’t yell at Wilkinson to stop touching Simmons. But there was absolutely no way I would actually do anything like that, so I had to watch in silence. The two of them were insufferable, constantly flirting and laughing. Every time I saw Simmons’ face scrunch up into a laugh, I wanted nothing more than to slam it straight into the table. 

I spent the rest of lunch trying to get my mind off the two of them, eventually leaving early when I couldn’t do it. 

\---

Hogsmeade was boring as ever, but this time, the sheer amount of couples made it even more unbearable. Crabbe, Goyle, and I made our stops, Crabbe insisting that we duck into Honeydukes. I meandered through the displays, buying a couple candies before we headed to the Three Broomsticks. 

Crabbe and Goyle stood behind me as my eyes swept through the cozy inn, trying to find an empty table. When I saw Simmons waving at us, a small smirk crossed my face. Maybe I wouldn’t get into trouble if I punched him off school grounds. I scowled at the couples as we weaved through the tables, eventually sitting with Wilkinson and Simmons. She had her feet perched on the chair, so I pushed them off, dropping down beside her. Wilkinson looked away as we struck up a conversation, playing with the salt and pepper shakers. 

Fifteen minutes later, the others joined the table, causing me to inwardly groan. As Crabbe and Goyle’s attention fell onto Blaise and Pucey, Simmons and Wilkinson leaned toward one another, laughing.

“Do you two ever stop flirting?” I scoffed, shooting a glare at Wilkinson. I had kept my voice low, hoping that no one else would hear. 

“Why’d you even come, Malfoy?” Wilkinson retorted, shaking her head. “You obviously hate it.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, not knowing how to answer. Truthfully, I had overheard Simmons asking her to Hogsmeade, and a part of me was jealous. I forced Crabbe and Goyle to join me, under the ruse I needed new quills.

“I needed new quills,” I snapped back, deciding to go with the latter excuse. She gave me one final look before she turned, returning her attention to that goddamn Simmons boy.

Tuning out the other’s conversation, I sat back in the chair and sipped on a butterbeer. I was so lost in thought that I nearly missed Simmons and Wilkinson standing, announcing that they were going to head back to Hogwarts early. I cleared my throat, setting down my half-full butterbeer. 

“We’ll go with you,” I invited Crabbe, Goyle, and I on the walk back to Hogwarts, much to Wilkinson’s dismay. She rolled her eyes, pushing past me as she waited for Jack at the end of the table.

I tried to glare a hole through Simmons’ head on the way back, but unfortunately, he was still left with a fully intact skull by the time we entered Hogwarts’ gates. I followed Wilkinson and Simmons down to the dungeons, Crabbe and Goyle breaking off to see if the Great Hall was serving dinner yet. I watched as Simmons veered off to the left, walking towards the boy’s dormitories. I bit my lip, my conscious going back and forth about whether or not to stop Wilkinson. I called out her name before I realized I did, my mouth slightly open as she turned, shooting me a confused look.

I felt my mouth open and close a few times, desperately trying to come up with the right words. I mentally punched myself, I must’ve looked like a fish out of water.

“Uh, wait a second,” I muttered, shoving both hands into the pockets of my robes. My hands felt around for the quill, eventually pulling it out.

“Here,” I said, holding it out to her, it dangling between my thumb and forefinger. She eyed it warily before she gently took it. Her fingers barely brushed mine, sending a jolt through my body. I doubt she noticed though, as her gaze was sweeping over the quill, her fingers twirling it.

“Why?” she questioned, her voice quiet and reserved. I forced my brain into overdrive, trying to come up with a believable answer.

“I ran out of ink in mine, so I figured you did too,” I shrugged, shoving my hands back into the pockets. She looked at me with that suspicious look again, which made my heart drop, but not in a good way. I was convinced that she never trusted me, and her constant guard around me was disheartening. 

“Plus, it’s not like you’ve gotten any better at writing with a normal quill,” I added, immediately regretting what I said. Her face faltered for a second, and I wished I could take it back. I hated to admit it, but insecurity had gotten the best of me in that moment.

“Thanks, Malfoy,” Wilkinson said, her voice just barely above a whisper. She gave me one more nod as she stepped backwards a few paces, increasing the distance between us.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Wilkinson,” I muttered, avoiding her gaze as I turned around and started for the boy’s dormitories. My fingers wiggled around in my empty pockets as I walked, bowing my head. 

It was the only quill that I had bought, but she didn’t need to know that.

OLIVE’S POV

A late-winter chill had settled over Hogwarts during the night, frosting the tips of the grass. I nuzzled further into the Slytherin scarf I was wearing, hiding my nose and mouth away from the bitter air. I was on my way to breakfast from the owlery, where I had sent my weekly letter to Aunt Beth. She had encouraged me to stay at Hogwarts for the Easter break, as many other students took the time to start preparing for year-end exams.

The Great Hall was filled with students murmuring about the disappointing weather, as nearly everyone had been excited for the incoming spring. I trudged through the doors, sitting down next to Katie once I reached the Slytherin table. As I unwrapped my scarf, I listened to what Blaise was saying.

“I’m just saying, nobody uses the dueling room anymore,” he shrugged, his eyes glancing around the entire group. “It could be fun, school’s getting boring.”

I agreed with him, the term seemed to be dragging on, especially under the gray clouds. I shot Katie a confused look as I tore the paper lining off my muffin. 

“He wants us to have a duel,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “There was a club in place last year, but once Lockhart basically lost his mind, it got shut down.” She went on to explain that Lockhart was the Dark Arts professor before Lupin, and that after a memory charm backfired, he was admitted to St. Mungo’s permanently. 

“Blaise, we have that massive Charms essay due next week,” Malfoy scoffed, shaking his head. Blaise’s face faltered, a wave of sadness rolling over his features.

“That sounds fun, Blaise,” I countered, leaning forward into the table so I could make eye contact with him. “I’ve never duelled before, though, so you’ll have to teach Jack and I.” Shooting him a quick smile, I nodded before he smiled back. Jack wasn’t here yet, but I was certain he wouldn’t want to miss out on something like this.

“Let’s do it tonight, then. Meet at eight in the common room?” he asked, the group responding with a mix of nods and ‘yes’’s. Malfoy didn’t say anything, his head bent towards his oatmeal. Jack joined the table a few minutes later, immediately excited about the duel once Katie told him.

When the clock tower struck, the group disbanded. I walked to Potions with Jack, trailing behind Malfoy and Crabbe. Once we entered the potions classroom, Jack and I took our seats. As I was rummaging through my bag for my textbook, I overheard Crabbe asking Malfoy something.

“What did Potter get you with last year, again?” Crabbe said, and it sounded like he was genuinely curious. 

“I don’t remember, Crabbe,” Malfoy sighed, and I heard him drop down onto his stool, his bag hitting the ground seconds later.

“The Tickling charm?” Crabbe guessed, pulling his stool out from under the table.

Before I could stop myself, a snort escaped my nose and I immediately clapped my hand over my mouth. I didn’t have to look, I could feel Malfoy’s gaze snap to the back of my head.

“Think it’s funny, do you?” he sneered, and I turned, a smile still playing on my lips. 

“Actually, yeah,” I snickered, nodding my head a couple times. “Potter took you out with a Tickling charm?” Jack had turned around now as well, his arm resting along the edge of Malfoy and Crabbe’s table. Malfoy looked flustered, his eyes rapidly darting between me and Jack. 

“You better not laugh, Olive. Don’t wanna give Malfoy flashbacks,” Jack teased, a playful glint in his eyes. His comment made me giggle, causing Malfoy’s expression to become even meaner. 

“I sent a snake after Potter, but he started speaking in Parseltongue like the freak he is,” Malfoy retorted, but it was weak and only made Jack and I laugh harder. 

“You seem like an easy win, hope to see you there tonight,” Jack jabbed once more at Malfoy’s ego, smirking and then turning back to the front of the room. Malfoy glared at the back of his head, his grip tightening on the corner of his textbook. Crabbe’s eyes were wide, like he regretted even bringing it up.

I caught Malfoy’s eyes for a second, my tongue darting out to wet my lips. With a small snicker, I turned around as well, immediately opening my textbook.

“I just wanted to know what spell to use,” I heard Crabbe mumble, causing Malfoy to huff loudly.

Snape had us take a small quiz at the beginning of class, a review of what we had learned over the last few weeks. I answered the questions quickly, sitting back and crossing my arms after I finished. Glancing around the classroom, I noticed that everyone was still working, bent over and scribbling on the parchment. Fifteen minutes later, the class had finished and Snape was walking down the aisles, collecting the quizzes. 

The rest of the class was used as a work time for the large homework assignment that Snape had set to be due on Monday. He sat at the front of the class, grading the quizzes and occasionally looking around the room.

“What did you get for the number of thoraxes?” Jack asked, peering over the table to see what I had written. 

“Six,” I answered, causing him to groan.

“I swear, I’m always off by one,” he whined, scribbling out the ‘five’ he had on his parchment. 

The homework assignment wasn’t too bad, mainly just solving questions about the potion’s procedure and to gather the natural ingredients from the school grounds this weekend.

Snape had blazed through the quizzes, gathering them neatly as he stood up. With ten minutes left of the class, he began to pass them back. Jack groaned when he received his, immediately folding it in half and shoving it in his bag.

“Very good, Miss Wilkinson,” Snape muttered, handing me my quiz. I flipped it over, a circled one-hundred percent sitting in the upper-right corner. I smiled, thanking Snape before I stowed it away in my bag. 

“I recommend slowing down, Mr. Malfoy,” I heard Snape say from behind me, and I bit my lip to keep the smile from growing. I don’t know what Malfoy got, but Snape’s comment was enough for me to assume he didn’t get one-hundred percent. Snape started down the next aisle, releasing students as soon as they received their quizzes. 

Jack and I walked to Charms, which was a study period as well. The essay that Flitwick had assigned was the most in-depth one we had this year, and he promised they would only get harder as we got older.

As usual, Muggle Studies and Transfiguration breezed by. Katie and I decided to spend the afternoon in the library, getting ahead on homework for the weekend. By five, I was bored from the reading for Charms, settling back into the library chair. Katie leaned back as well, bringing her hand to her mouth to cover a yawn.

“What are some good duelling spells?” I asked her, resting my head on my hand. Lupin had taught us a few, like the disarming and protection spells, but I was eager to learn more. In the case I had to duel Malfoy, I wanted to be prepared. 

“Slugulus eructo is a funny one, but it’s not very impressive,” Katie hummed, racking her brain for good spells. “And just plain gross.” She added, scrunching up her nose.

Before we left for dinner, Katie had taught me a few, scribbling them down on a loose sheet of parchment. 

\---

Three hours later, Katie, Pansy, and I left our dormitory for the common room. When we arrived, Jack and Blaise were already sitting on the couch, Blaise tossing his wand up in the air. The five of us were heading for the common room door when Goyle called out behind us, making us stop. Him, Malfoy, and Crabbe caught up, Crabbe and Goyle immediately falling into a conversation with Blaise as Malfoy stayed silent. 

Blaise led us through the dungeons and to a hidden staircase at the end of a hallway. The group of eight climbed the spiral stairs, which eventually let us out in a hallway on the southern end of Hogwarts. I walked with Jack, as Pansy and Katie were walking together directly behind Blaise and Crabbe. 

Five minutes later, Blaise had spelled a lock open, pushing the door open and revealing a medium-sized room with tall ceilings. Windows looked out to the surrounding forests, and the early sunset had already pushed the moon high into the sky. 

White light streamed in through the glass, creating patterns on the stone floor. Blaise was right, I doubted this room had been used since last year. Cobwebs were strung about on the chandeliers, and the chairs had been stacked in the corner with a cotton sheet lazily thrown over. Two long, raised platforms ran the length of the room, parallel to one another. 

The door swung shut after the last person entered, the sound echoing between the walls.

“We could split into two groups, and the winners of each could duel one another?” Blaise suggested, spinning around to face us. We nodded, separating and shuffling to a platform. I ended up with Jack, Malfoy, and Katie, the other four standing on the other platform. 

Jack had volunteered himself to go first, picking me as his opponent. Jokingly, I grabbed the sides of my robes, curtsying to Jack. He bowed, tucking his hand under his stomach as he bent over. Malfoy scoffed, crossing his arms as he watched Jack. 

The two of us stared the other down as menacingly as we could, but Jack’s eyes were twinkling with playfulness. 

“Tarantallegra!” Jack suddenly started the duel, sending a dancing-feet spell towards me. Instinctively, I waved my arm and cast the shielding charm, bouncing the stream of light away. 

My hand swung under, flicking the tip of my wand towards Jack. “Silencio!” 

Jack’s mouth immediately closed, his eyes widening. Since he couldn’t say anything back, Blaise announced me as the winner. Katie performed a quick undoing spell on Jack, allowing his mouth to fall open. It was a quick duel, much quicker than I had expected. Part of me thought Jack had been going easy on me, I was certain he knew other spells.

“Pretty good for your first time,” he congratulated, patting me on the back. He didn’t seem mad that he lost, rather proud.

Crabbe and Pansy started a duel on the other platform, Pansy eventually winning when she successfully shot the dancing-feet spell at Crabbe. I laughed as Crabbe involuntarily started dancing, his eyes wide in embarrassment.

Katie and Malfoy were next, starting the duel with the proper wand gesture that Jack and I had dismissed. Katie eyed him down, but she barely got a spell out before Malfoy threw the disarming charm at her. Katie’s wand clattered to the ground, rolling off the platform. She sighed angrily, glaring at him as she hopped off and bent to pick her wand up. She stood next to me as we watched Blaise and Goyle duel, Blaise eventually winning. The two of them had the longest duel so far, and also the most exciting. Our eyes darted back and forth, watching the numerous spells they cast and ducked when Goyle accidentally redirected Blaise’s spells towards us.

That duel left Blaise and Pansy on the other team, and Malfoy and I on ours. I shrugged off my robes, tossing them on the table that I had been leaning on. Malfoy lost his robes as well, shoving them into Katie’s hands. She gave him a look before dropping them to the ground, but he didn’t notice as his gaze was fixed on me.

I raised my chin in the air, a small smirk on my face as I stepped onto the platform. Malfoy followed my lead, coming to stand a few feet away from me. He raised his wand to his nose, splitting his face in half. I almost laughed at the gesture, it seemed too professional for what we were doing.

Mirroring Malfoy, I held my wand in front of my face. The six others watched us intently, the room quiet. I dropped my left eye into a quick wink, hoping to catch Malfoy off guard. His face faltered for a second, but he regained his composure and turned, marching the few steps away. I did the same, coming to a stop at the end of the platform. 

Malfoy cast a spell first, which I barely blocked with the shield charm. Tightening my grip on my wand, I turned slightly away from Malfoy, so my right foot was forward. 

“Expelliarmus!” I tried, but Malfoy had the shield charm ready before my spell even got halfway across the platform. Biting my lip, I tried to envision the list of spells that Katie had written for me earlier, trying to find one that would catch Malfoy off guard. 

I somehow physically dodged Malfoy’s next attempt, dropping to my knees as the stream of light flew over my head. Crouching, I stayed low to the ground as I raised my wand.

“Diffindo!” I yelled, pointing my wand at Malfoy’s legs. The spell streamed out of my wand, making contact with Malfoy’s trousers. They ripped up the outer leg, eventually stopping at his thigh. He looked down, taking his eyes off me. I took advantage of the distraction, quickly standing and readying another spell. 

Malfoy looked at me, angry. His mouth was curled into a nasty snarl, his narrow eyes glaring at me. He started to yell spell after spell, throwing them in quick succession. I yelled a shielding charm, which bounced off every spell he threw. Malfoy’s spells nearly blinded me, so I turned my head as I felt my wand shaking. 

Finally, the spells ceased, Malfoy breathing heavily. I let the shielding charm die, and now there was nothing between the two of us. I met his gaze, mustering the meanest glare I could. He raised his wand, but I beat him to it.

I called out one more spell, hoping it would be the last for the duel. I felt exhausted, and I was surprised I had even made it this far. 

“Incarcerous!” No light came from my wand, but the spell hit Malfoy directly in the middle of his chest. He was thrown backwards, suddenly attacked with ropes. They binded his arms to his side, preventing his arms from thrashing about. He fell back, landing on his ass before his back hit the platform. I was slightly out of breath, but a smile crossed my face once I realized I had won. 

Jack started clapping in excitement, Katie giggling beside him. I didn’t look at anyone as I sauntered down the platform, approaching Malfoy’s squirming body. Squatting down, I rested my elbows on my knees, my wand hanging limply between my fingers.

His anger had been replaced with genuine confusion, his eyebrows furrowed together. He swallowed thickly before looking up at me.

“I recommend slowing down, Malfoy,” I breathed out a taunt, a mischievous glint in my eye. His mouth set into a firm line, his eyes shooting daggers into my skin. I stood, looking down at him.

I knew the ropes would hold Malfoy, but seeing him like this gave me too much power. Stepping on the sleeve of his robe, I pinned his dominant hand to the floor, rendering his wand useless. Malfoy’s chest heaved with anger, and I bent down slowly, grabbing his wand out of his hand. Surprisingly, he let it slip out of his grasp, and I stood back up. I took a few steps back, releasing his robe from under my foot. 

“Absolutely wicked,” Jack muttered from beside me, and I blinked, bringing myself back into reality. It had felt like it was just Malfoy and I on the platform, I had completely forgotten that the other six were here. I glanced down at Malfoy’s wand, which I had clasped in my left hand. 

With a mutter of a charm and a wave of my wand, I undid the binding spell. Malfoy sprung up, fixing his robes. I tossed him his wand, it twirling in the air a couple times before he caught it. I felt his glare on the back of my head as I turned, hopping off the platform and joining Jack and Katie.

We watched Blaise and Pansy duel, which went on for a couple minutes. Blaise ended up knocking Pansy out with the dancing-feet spell, which made me and Katie giggle as Pansy started a weird jig. 

Jack massaged my shoulders, giving me as cheesy pep talk as Blaise stayed on the platform. He held out his hand, and I took it, stepping up. Duelling with Malfoy had wiped me out, and I was more than ready to collapse on my bed. 

I shot Blaise a smile, and he returned it, nodding his head once. We turned and stepped away, finally swiveling to face one another. I blocked Blaise’s first spell, but it was a weak block and gave out seconds later. Thankfully, Blaise’s spell had died as well, the light diminishing. 

He threw the disarming charm at me successfully, knocking my wand out of my hand and it landed a few feet away. I laughed, not angry that I hadn’t won the duel. Blaise punched the air in excitement, Crabbe and Goyle cheering him on as well. As I stepped off the platform, I looked around, trying to find where my wand had landed. 

When my eyes found it, it was resting at the feet of someone with familiar ripped trousers. Luckily for him, the length of his robes covered most of the tear. Malfoy bent, picking it up. My lips parted as I made eye contact with him, expecting him to snap like he always did. Instead, he flipped my wand around in his hand so the tip rested in his palm. He held the handle out to me, shaking his hand gently when I didn’t immediately take it. 

“Thanks,” I breathed out, wrapping my fingers around my wand and pulling it out of his grasp. He looked down at me as I turned my back to him, walking to Jack. He was holding my robes out, but his eyes were focused over my shoulder, directly at Malfoy. Shrugging my robes on, I tucked my wand away. 

It was nearly nine, so the eight of us walked briskly back to the common room, hoping not to get caught. Ten minutes of walking later, we were safely through the door, greeted by the warm crackling of the fire. Malfoy immediately split off, mumbling something about his pants as he left for his dormitory. 

The others left as well, leaving only Jack and I in the common room. I stifled a yawn with my sleeve, my eyes tearing up with tiredness.

“You were kinda a badass in your duel with Malfoy,” Jack chuckled, perching himself on the armrest of a couch. I laughed, shaking my head.

“I mean it! That one spell you cast when you were bent down? That was sick,” he complimented, his eyes wide.

“I dunno, it was kinda run beating Malfoy at something,” I shrugged, leaning against the back of the couch. Jack and I talked a bit more, but eventually sleep took precedence over chatting. I wished Jack a goodnight, waving as I left for the girl’s wing.

Pansy was already asleep when I entered the dormitory, Katie on her bed reading through her Muggle Studies textbook. I was thankful it was a Friday night, I wanted nothing more than to sleep in past breakfast tomorrow. 

I dropped my robes on the ground, slipping into my pajamas. Leaving the room briefly, I got ready for bed. I waved a silent goodnight to Katie when I returned, pulling the covers of my bed back. Crawling in, I faced the wall and closed my eyes, trying to block out Pansy’s snoring. 

Sleep came easily, I guess dueling was proving to be a lot more exhausting than I thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I absolutely loved writing the duel scene, I hope you guys enjoyed it!!
> 
> Also huge question: what house are you guys? I’m a Slytherin :) young me wanted to be Hermione so bad, but as I’ve grown, I’ve found that I’m way more of a Slytherin lol


	19. chapter eighteen

The next few weeks flew by quickly, mostly filled with quizzes and homework assignments. Before I knew it, spring break was starting the coming Saturday, students looking forward to having two weeks free. 

After sending owls back and forth with my aunt, I had decided to stay at Hogwarts for the break. Jack was planning to stay as well, claiming he didn’t want to make the long journey home. Both Katie and Pansy were leaving, which left me alone in the dormitory for the two weeks.

Snape had scheduled an exam the Friday before spring break started, which stressed out the entire group. Currently, we were spread out in the library after our Wednesday classes, textbooks and parchment littered on the tables. 

I was sitting next to Jack, Katie and Blaise across from us. They had a fling going since Valentine’s Day, but neither of them had put a label on it yet. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy were sitting at the table over, just a few feet away.

Groaning, I leaned back in the chair, setting my arms on the armrests. Jack glanced over at the sound, and decided to take a small break as well.

“I don’t get why Snape is testing us on the Sleeping Draught, we didn’t even learn it from him,” he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. I agreed, finding it annoying that Snape was throwing in potions from last year. 

I was still doing fairly well in potions, but I didn’t know where I stood against Malfoy. At the thought of his name, I glanced over, seeing him scribbling something on his sheet of parchment. The white feather of his quill floated through the air with each harsh swipe of the tip, Malfoy’s writing aggressive and quick. 

Jack continued to complain about the Sleeping Draught, but his words were muted and distant. I looked back at my quill, which matched Malfoy’s identically. A few days ago, I had finally run out of ink in the first one he had given me, so I had switched to the new one from Valentine’s Day. With a fresh amount of ink, the quill wrote smoother, which I liked. 

Malfoy’s hand hovered above the parchment, his eyes darting back and forth as he read each line of text. I watched as he bit down on his bottom lip in concentration, a small piece of blonde hair falling out of place and resting against his forehead. 

“Do you think he would?” I heard Jack ask, causing my gaze to snap up to meet his.

“Hmm?” I hummed, having completely missed what he had said prior.

“Snape allowing us to make the Sleeping Draught?” he questioned, his voice inflecting towards the end of the sentence. I cleared my throat, shaking my head. 

“I dunno,” I shrugged, returning my attention to my open textbook. 

Jack mumbled something about asking him later, but I forced my gaze to stay on the text. I continued to take notes, my finger running down the page to keep place.

Fifteen minutes of quiet studying later, Pansy finally broke the silence. 

“Hey, Draco, your quill looks an awful lot like Olive’s,” she said, her eyes darting between the two quills. My hand froze from where I was taking notes on an antidote potion, hovering above the paper. Jack raised his head, looking between the two quills like Pansy.

“Say, they do,” he raised an eyebrow, turning his head to look at me. 

I rolled my eyes, my hand flattening against the table. The quill was tucked under my forefinger, laying flat as well. Malfoy swallowed, looking down at his quill. To be fair, it was a fairly unique design, especially the color of the feather.

“Pansy, I already told you,” I sighed, leaning forward so I could see her. “My aunt bought me one before the school year started, and then another for Christmas.” 

I shrugged, trying to act like it was no big deal. Sitting back, I just barely caught a glare from her, her eyes narrowing.

“Go snog Pucey or something,” I scoffed under my breath, causing Jack to chuckle. Quickly, I snuck a glance at Malfoy, who was twirling the quill around in his hand. The rest of the afternoon was spent mostly in silence, Blaise occasionally breaking it with a lame joke and Katie laughing a bit too hard at it. 

By the time dinner rolled around, everyone was starved, our brains completely stuffed full with information. I packed my things into my schoolbag, chatting with Jack as I did so.

“We could totally take your broom out for a spin, no one will be out there,” he suggested, wanting to fly over spring break. I hadn’t used my broom since I flew with Ginny, and I was itching to get back on. 

“That sounds fun,” I nodded, shooting him a smile as I secured the metal clasp. Slipping the bag onto my shoulders, I followed him out of the library, draping my robes over my arm. Given that it was late March, the sun and its warmth were slowly settling over Hogwarts, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

“I’m gonna go to the bathroom before dinner,” I told him and Katie, my thumb pointing backwards over my shoulder. They nodded and I turned, heading towards the girl’s bathrooms on the main floor. 

Five minutes later, I was pushing the heavy door open, cursing under my breath. Hogwarts’ architecture was beautiful, but I found the overly-heavy doors a pain in the ass sometimes. Malfoy was standing across the hallway, leaning against a stone pillar. I jumped, not expecting to see him. My robes slipped out of my grasp, pooling on the ground.

“Jesus Christ, Malfoy,” I breathed out, catching my breath before shooting him a glare. 

“Why’d you lie?” he snapped, not even taking the time to apologize. It’s not like he would’ve, anyway.

“About what?” I raised a questioning eyebrow, bending down to pick up my robes. I shook them out before I hung them over my arm.

“The quill. You lied to everyone,” he said, the sharp edge on his voice still present.

“What, you wanted me to tell them you gave them to me?” I scoffed, rolling my eyes. The hallway was quiet, the only two people in it were Malfoy and I. 

“Uh,” pausing, his eyes darted down the long hallway. “N-no,” he stuttered, shaking his head.

“Then what did you want me to say?” I asked, genuinely confused. His answers were contradictory, and for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why.

“I dunno,” he raised his hand, running it through his hair. “It’s not like your parents could afford them anyways. You do realize they’re forty galleons each, right?” 

Malfoy’s words gave me whiplash. One minute he was asking why I lied, and the next he was calling my dead parents poor.

Blinking a few times, I ran Malfoy’s words through my head again. “Forty? Galleons?” my mouth fell open in shock. When my aunt had taken me to Diagon Alley before the school year started, each quill was only two galleons.

“Yeah,” he smirked, crossing his arms smugly. I hated his arrogance, so I yanked my bag off my shoulder, holding the strap in one hand as I dug for the quill. Once I found it, I shoved it into the crook of his elbow. His arms unraveled, catching the quill just before it fell to the ground.

“What?” he nearly whispered, looking up at me. 

“Take it, I don’t want it anymore,” I snapped, aggressively hoisting my bag back on my shoulder. “Wouldn’t wanna run your daddy’s money dry.”

Malfoy’s mouth opened and closed a couple times, his hand closing around the quill. I gave him one last glare before I turned on my heel, storming towards the Great Hall. It was a childish fight, but I didn’t care. Leaving Malfoy behind, I hung a left turn and walked through the doors. 

The kitchen elves were serving pork chops tonight, which made my evening even worse. Deciding to pass on the meat, I filled my plate with salad, angrily stabbing the romaine before I shoved the fork into my mouth.

A few minutes later, Malfoy joined the table, sitting a ways down next to Goyle. I noticed the quill was gone, he must’ve stowed it away in his backpack. Groaning internally, I realized that I would have to use a normal quill now. Malfoy had been right on Valentine’s Day, I never truly learned how to write without making splotches. A first time for everything, I guess.

\---

On Saturday morning, Pansy and Katie running around the room in a frenzy, throwing last-minute things into their chests. The Express departed from the Hogsmeade Station at eleven, and it was nearing ten-thirty. Pansy had been in a sour mood since the library, so I pretended to be incredibly interested in my Transfiguration textbook as she left. 

“I’ll see you in two weeks!” Katie blew a kiss as she wrangled her trunk out of the room. I wished her a safe travel, telling her to send an owl if she could. She waved goodbye as she shut the door, and I could hear the wheels of her trunk rolling down the hallway.

Thirty minutes later, the Slytherin dormitories were completely quiet. I stayed in bed until noon, enjoying the extra time I felt I never had anymore. By one o’clock, I had readied myself for the day and wandered into the common room, seeing who else had stayed for the break. Jack was sitting on the couch, playing a game of Wizard’s Chess with Pucey. I leaned over the back of the couch, watching until the game finished. 

“I’m never playing with you again,” Pucey whined, standing up in a huff. Jack laughed, gathering the pieces and returning them to the set. 

“Yeah, you cheat,” I joined in, causing Pucey to gesture to me in a “see-what-I-mean?” kind of way. Jack rolled his eyes, tucking his set under his arm as he stood. 

“I’m taking a nap,” Pucey muttered, patting my shoulder as he passed me, disappearing down the boy’s wing.

“Have you had lunch yet?” Jack asked, tucking the end of his sweater into the waistband of his jeans. I shook my head, suddenly feeling the grumbling in my stomach at the mention of food.

“Lemme go put this back, I’ll be right out,” he promised, holding up the chess set. I leaned against the couch as I waited, looking out through the windows into the lake. The water was slightly less dark than it had gotten during the winter, but it was still unsettling. Katie had told me there was a giant squid that lived in the depths, and that was enough for me to never go swimming in it.

I turned my head as I heard two voices echoing down the boy’s hallway, groaning when I recognized them. Malfoy sauntered through the stone arch with a smug smirk on his face, Jack behind him by a few steps. I hadn’t talked to him since I gave him back the quill, but I blamed it on the whirlwind of stress I had been under the past few days.

Malfoy walked further into the common room ahead of Jack, who shrugged behind his back.

“Didn’t know you stayed behind, Wilkinson,” Malfoy said as he crossed the room. “Something going on at home?”

“You’re one to talk,” I sneered, pushing myself off the couch and standing up straight. “What does your father think about Hagrid still teaching? Couldn’t get him fired, could you?” 

A smile formed on Jack’s face, who was now leaning on one of the chairs that belonged to the large circular table. Malfoy didn’t say anything, but shot a mean glare at me.

“I’m hungry,” I stated, looking past Malfoy to Jack. Jack shoved the chair under the table, joining me as I walked to the common room door. Malfoy tagged behind us, making it clear that Jack had invited him to lunch.

I pushed the door open, letting it swing shut behind me. Malfoy’s hand caught it, unfortunately, and he slipped through. The three of us walked to the Great Hall, Jack in between Malfoy and I. Once we arrived, I noticed that it was barely a quarter-full, the house tables looking extra long with no students. We sat at the end, Jack and I on one side, and Malfoy on the other.

A few minutes later, Goyle walked through the entrance, and I mentally thanked him for staying here. He dropped down next to Malfoy, and the tension between us faded. 

“Snape said he could teach us some of the second-year potions over break. The ones for the end-of-year exam,” Jack said after he took a bite out of his sandwich. 

“Good thing we’re Slytherins,” I laughed, assuming that Snape probably wouldn’t have offered a Gryffindor the same thing. Jack chuckled, his eyebrows raising quickly in agreement.

Malfoy and Crabbe talked to each other the entire lunch, acting like Jack and I weren’t even there. I was thankful though, Malfoy had already pissed me off enough for one day. 

Saturday passed slowly, Hogwarts seemed a lot more drab without the students bustling around. 

\---

The next Monday, April had given Hogwart its first sunny and warm day of the year. The quad was fully covered with green grass, and wildflowers had popped up along the path to Hagrid’s hut. Jack had caught up with me as I was walking to breakfast, his loud footsteps echoing through the halls.

“Wanna fly today?” he asked as he slowed to a stop, a bit out of breath.

“Yeah,” I answered, sneaking a quick look out a window as we passed it. The sky was a bright blue, a few puffy white clouds floating high.

“What are we doing today?” I heard Malfoy’s voice from behind me, almost singing the words. Closing my eyes, I groaned and slowed to a stop, Jack halting beside me as well. A smirk was on Malfoy’s face, like he was proud of interrupting us.

“Nothing,” Jack muttered, glaring at Malfoy as he caught up to us. It was weird seeing Malfoy without his robes, as he was dressed in black trousers and a green and silver striped sweater. His hair was a bit messy as well, the normal gel missing.

“I’ll join you two, I’ve been dying to get out of the dormitory,” he said, pushing between Jack and I and continuing to the Great Hall. I rolled my eyes as Jack and I trudged after him, hanging back a few paces. 

Malfoy sauntered through the Great Hall doors, veering off to the left to head towards the Slytherin table. Jack and I followed, dropping down on the bench across from him.

“Why’d you stay, Malfoy?” I asked as I buttered a slice of toast, not looking at him. I could feel his eyes on me, but I continued to swipe the knife over the bread.

“Didn’t wanna go home,” he said nonchalantly, shrugging. 

“Why?” I pressed, smirking as I could see him shift uncomfortably in my peripheral vision. 

“None of your business,” he tried to keep his voice steady, but a sharp edge laced his words. I shrugged, letting the conversation die. 

Forty-five minutes later, the three of us were standing on the edge of the quidditch field, brooms in hand. We had passed Goyle on the way and asked if he wanted to join, but he said no. I internally cursed at him, hoping that he could’ve taken Malfoy off my hands for the rest of the day. 

Forcing myself to ignore it, I turned my face towards the sun, closing my eyes as the rays warmed my face. Birds had begun to migrate to the grounds, bringing with them joyful songs and tiny chirps. The air finally felt alive after a winter of dreariness, and even the Whomping Willow was stretching up the hill from the field, basking in the sun.

Jack pushed off first, hovering a few feet above the ground. The Slytherin team had paused practice for the past week, letting the players study for the pre-break exams. Jack joked that he was a bit rusty, which Malfoy agreed with under his breath and earned himself a glare from Jack.

I eyed Jack’s broom, which was the same one he had at the beginning of the school year. Malfoy must’ve taken his back after he rejoined the team in January. I hadn’t even noticed at the games, whoever was playing had always used Malfoy’s so they matched the rest of the team. Frowning, I mounted my broom and pushed off as well, leaving Malfoy on the ground. A few seconds later, he joined us, leaning back on his broom as he held on with one hand.

“Let’s make it a bit more interesting, shall we?” Jack smirked, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the snitch. He must’ve taken it out of the locker room when he was in there grabbing his broom. He opened his palm, letting the snitch shake out its wings.

“Wait-” Malfoy started, his expression hesitant. I partially agreed with him, I didn’t want to spend hours looking for the snitch. I groaned as the snitch flew out of Jack’s hand before Malfoy could say anything else. Jack laughed, leaning forward and rising another twenty feet. Sighing, Malfoy joined him and the two of them looked around, trying to find a flash of gold. I swung my feet back and forth, not sure what to do. 

I didn’t trust myself enough to fly as fast as the boys could, last time was an exception. Malfoy had pissed me off so much that my judgment became clouded. I glanced up, seeing Jack and Malfoy talking, but it looked like Malfoy was finally unleashing his opinion that got cut off moments before. His hand was waving in the air angrily as Jack scoffed, rolling his eyes. 

Starting to fly in low circles, I tried to remember what Ginny had taught me. Don’t lean too much when you turn, you’ll end up upside down. Be careful about the angle you point down, it’s easy to go ass over teakettle off the handle of your broom. I flew to the southern end of the field, dipping between each of the goalposts. 

Fifteen minutes later, the boys were still looking, Jack shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand. I flew back to the middle of the field, hovering nearly fifteen feet in the air. Suddenly, Jack dipped forward, shooting off. Malfoy was on his tail, the two of them zooming towards the snitch. I rolled my eyes, finding the small competition childish. Watching as they hung a sharp turn around one of the stands, I turned on my broom to see them coming down the middle of the field. My eyes widened as I saw Jack barreling toward me, so I leaned to the right just moments before he blew past. His foot got caught on the bottom of my broom, kicking it upwards as he pulled up. 

Before I knew what was happening, I had slid off the handle of my broom and was falling the fifteen feet to the ground. It felt a lot shorter as I fell, my hair whipping behind my head. I closed my eyes as I braced for impact, my right leg hitting the ground first. Yelping in pain, I felt my right ankle twist sharply inwards, followed by my calf, and then my thigh. My upper body hit the grass hard and knocked the wind out of me. As I struggled for a deep breath, I could just barely make out Malfoy approaching, tossing his broom on the ground as soon as he touched down. 

“You okay?” he asked, genuine worry in his eyes as he stared down at me. I lifted my head, looking down at my ankle that was twisted at a grotesque angle. The pain started to shoot up my leg, causing me to wince and lay my head back down on the grass. Malfoy dropped down, resting on his knees as his nose scrunched up at the sight of my twisted ankle. Squinting against the sun, I saw Jack flying towards us, the snitch trapped in his hand. As soon as his feet hit the field, his broom was long forgotten as he ran over. 

“I’m so sorry, Olive,” he apologized profusely, his eyes wide. His hands hovered over my legs, like he wasn’t sure if he should touch me or not.

“Don’t touch her, you idiot,” Malfoy snapped, shooting a glare at Jack. “She could be paralyzed or something.” 

I rolled my eyes, my hand raising and punching Malfoy in the knee. It was a bit harder than I expected, my knuckles tingling with a slight bit of pain afterwards. He winced, his hand reaching out to rub his kneecap. “I’m not paralyzed, you bloody moron.” Malfoy was always one for dramatic flair, which could sometimes be funny, but mostly annoying. 

“I’ll go get Hooch,” Jack said as he stood. He gave me one last look, and I nodded, giving him permission to leave. He shoved the snitch back into his front pocket as he picked up into a jog, crossing the field towards the locker rooms. 

“I told him he shouldn’t have released the damn thing,” Malfoy muttered under his breath, falling back so he could sit on the grass. He brought his knees to his chest, his arms wrapping around them. “How do you feel?” he asked, his gaze glancing down at my ankle. The adrenaline had worn off, as my leg had started to pulse in even worse pain.

Gritting my teeth, I raised my head to look down at it once more. “Alright,” I said through my clenched jaw, letting my head fall back onto the grass. At least it was dry.

Five minutes later, Hooch was walking briskly across the field, Jack a few paces behind her. She dropped to her knees at my side, her hand gently resting on my shoulder. 

“Oh dear, we’ll have to get you to the hospital wing,” she said after inspecting my ankle. Her tone was motherly, shooting me a reassuring smile as she helped me sit up. 

“I can help,” Jack offered as Hooch assisted me into a standing position, my knee bent so I could keep my weight off my ankle. 

“Don’t you think you’ve done enough?” Malfoy spat, glaring at Jack. Seconds later, I felt Malfoy’s arm sneak around my waist, letting mine fall along his shoulders. Malfoy’s hand came up to grasp the top of mine, securing my hold around his neck. Jack sighed, jogging the few paces to each of the broomsticks and picked them up, trailing behind us. The walk to the hospital was longer than usual, the stairs posing a particular problem as I tried to hop up them one by one. 

Thirty minutes later, Madam Pomfrey had wrapped up my foot in a bandage, informing me it was just a nasty sprain. Jack had left with Hooch, who said she had some stern words for him. As Pomfrey was gathering a pair of crutches from the supply closet, I was propped up in a bed, Malfoy sitting on the one to my left. He had stayed quiet as Pomfrey had wrapped my ankle up, looking down at the ground.

When she returned, she helped me out of bed and onto the crutches. I thanked her as I stumbled out of the wing, Malfoy right by my side. The walk to the common room was more of a hike than usual, and I bit my lip as we neared the dungeon stairs. Malfoy paused as well, his eyes looking down the staircase before back up at me.

“Uh, here,” he offered, holding out his hand. Not sure what he wanted me to do, I stared at it, my hand lifting off the right crutch. 

“The crutches,” he said quietly, chuckling. My face ran hot in embarrassment, but I took the crutches out from under my arms, leaning on the railing as I handed them to him. Clutching onto the thin strip of black metal, I hopped down step by step, Malfoy descending slowly to match my pace. 

Jack was waiting for us in the common room, his foot tapping the ground impatiently. He sprung out of the chair as we entered, immediately crossing the room.

“Again, I’m so sorry,” he apologized, and I shook my head, waving it off.

“Not a big deal, I swear,” I shrugged, leaning forward on the crutches. Malfoy stayed by my side, glaring at Jack.

“Feel better,” he mumbled quietly, before he finally stepped away, heading down the boy’s dormitory. I watched him leave, and then clumsily hiked my way to one of the couches, collapsing down.

“Hooch gave me detention,” Jack chuckled, perching himself on the armrest. 

“Good,” I sneered playfully, scrunching my nose up at him. 

The two of us spent the rest of the afternoon playing Wizard’s Chess in the common room, me losing game after game like always. 

\---

The next morning, Snape had invited Jack and I to join him in the potions classroom for the review of the second-year potions. After breakfast, I hobbled back to the dungeons and grabbed my schoolbag before I met Jack in the common room. The two of us walked to the classroom, Jack holding the door open for me as I limped in. Snape was standing at the front of the room, his eyes sweeping over his copy of the textbook. I heard glass rattling from the back corner, so I turned, seeing Malfoy rearranging some jars. For some reason, my first instinct wasn’t to be annoyed, like I usually was whenever I saw that blonde hair.

Jack groaned beside me, obviously having seen Malfoy as well. He and I walked to the front of the classroom, sitting down at the table across from Snape. 

“Mr. Malfoy is preparing to be an assistant for this fall’s second-years. If you two don’t mind, he’ll be here to review the same potions,” Snape said, his eyes darting past my shoulder to Malfoy.

I guess I didn’t mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of a filler chapter, but that’s alright!! Hope you all enjoy and happy Tuesday!! :)


	20. chapter nineteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for 5k hits!!! I appreciate you all so much :) happy hump day and enjoy this chapter!!

[tw: blood]

Malfoy dragged a stool across the floor, the feet grinding against the stone. I winced, tucking my ear into my shoulder as I flinched away from the sound. He brought it to a stop at the end of the table, hopping on top of it. 

Snape had told Jack and I that our textbooks would be sufficient, as nearly every student used the same potions book through their fifth year. I leaned my crutches up against the table behind me, ensuring they wouldn’t fall and turned around, facing Snape again. Malfoy was sitting directly to my right, Jack on my left. 

As Snape instructed us to flip to the chapter on the Sleeping Draught, I felt Malfoy’s knee knock up against mine. Thankfully, it belonged to my good leg, so I glanced up, curious as to what he wanted. He wasn’t looking at me though, his head resting on his palm while his attention was on Snape. 

“As I’m sure you can deduct from the name, the Sleeping Draught will instantaneously put the drinker to sleep,” Snape said, his eyes peering at us from over his textbook. “Mr. Simmons, why might one want to drink a potion such as this?” 

Jack shifted next to me, obviously not expecting to be cold-called so early in the morning. “To sleep?” he guessed lamely, raising a hesitant eyebrow. Malfoy scoffed next to me, and I could see him rolling his eyes in my peripheral vision. Part of me agreed with him, thinking Jack could’ve given Snape a better answer. 

“Clearly,” Snape tutted, his gaze sweeping to me. “Miss Wilkinson, can you think of a more,” he paused, thinking. “Compelling reason?”

I sucked in a breath, my mind begging to race for a good enough example for Snape. “You could use it to knock out an opponent, give you a headstart? Or to transport someone without them being conscious?” my answers were a bit more intense than I expected, but the end of Snape’s mouth twitched, almost breaking into a smile.

“Very creative, Miss Wilkinson,” he said, clearing his throat before he moved on to walking us through the procedure. Although it was long, it was actually very simple. Snape had relied on spring break to restock on ingredients, so we didn’t have enough to make the Sleeping Draught. After Malfoy read the list of ingredients aloud, Snape released the three of us. As we packed our things, he asked to reconvene on Thursday at the same time to review the Fire Protection potion.

I followed Jack out of the classroom, the crutches hitting the ground in sync as I hobbled through the door. He held it open, standing back to let me through. Just as I was about to head for the common room, Malfoy spoke.

“Do you two want to study in the quad?” he asked, but his eyes were on me. I glanced over at Jack, who shrugged. 

“Sure,” I smiled at Malfoy, leaning forward so my crutches would be pinned between the ground and my underarms. I readjusted the straps of my bag so they would stop slipping past my shoulders, which was driving me crazy.

“I got it,” Jack stepped in, reaching up and lifting my bag off my back. Malfoy’s gaze shot to his hand, watching as I shrugged the straps down my shoulders, fully giving my bag to Jack. He blinked a few times, looking away. 

“I’ll go ask Goyle if he wants to join,” he muttered, not looking at us as he nearly sprinted toward the common room. Jack and I stayed put, Jack’s grasp tightening around one of the straps.

Five minutes later, Malfoy had returned with Goyle on his side, who had a green and silver blanket tucked under his arm. I chuckled at it, catching his attention.

“My mother made it when I was a first-year,” he explained, a small smile on his face. I nodded, finding it endearing. Truthfully, I never really had a reason to talk to him or Crabbe, but they seemed like fairly nice boys when I did.

The four of us walked toward the quad, the three of them graciously slowing whenever we came across a staircase. I was getting tired of the crutches, and I couldn’t wait until I didn’t need them anymore. It was a beautiful sunny day, the sun directly overhead warming the grass. Goyle spread out the blanket, and we all took a corner. After I set my crutches down, I took my bag from Jack’s outstretched arm. 

We only ended up studying for about thirty minutes, the blue skies eventually becoming too inviting. I set my textbook down, laying back and closing my eyes. I intertwined my fingers over my stomach, my legs stretched out on the grass. The boys had abandoned academics as well, talking about quidditch. I opened an eye, looking up at the clouds. One to the left looked like a dog, all four legs splayed out as if it was running. 

“What the hell do you mean, there is no way Ireland is winning the cup this summer!” Malfoy exclaimed, leaning back on one hand.

“Like Bulgaria could even win it. Their seeker couldn’t find the snitch if it was handed to him,” Jack scoffed, shaking his head. 

“My father’s taking me, I’ll be sure to send a postcard when Bulgaria wins,” Malfoy taunted Jack, a smirk on his face. Jack muttered a ‘whatever,’ putting an end to the childish argument. Malfoy, clearly pleased with himself, raised an eyebrow. He turned to glance over at me, but I was too busy trying to decide whether a certain cloud was a fish or bowtie. 

\---

A few days later, I was eating breakfast in the Great Hall, my foot propped up on the bench beside me. Madam Pomfrey had asked me to come into the hospital wing this morning, so she could take a look at my ankle. It was healing fairly well, and she promised me I could be off of crutches by the time summer rolled around.

“Mornin’,” I heard a voice across the table, causing me to look up. It was Malfoy, and he was alone.

“Morning,” I responded, looking back down at my oatmeal. He sat, shrugging off his robes and tossing them onto the table. Reaching for an apple, he asked me how my ankle was feeling.

“Alright,” Shrugging, I answered him. “Pomfrey said I should be off crutches by summer.”

Malfoy took a bite of the apple, swallowing before he spoke. “Well, that’s good, I suppose.” 

I nodded, lazily stirring my spoon through the oats. We were quiet for a few moments, Malfoy setting his half-eaten apple down on the table before he reached into his bag.

“Why do you like green ones?” I nodded at the apple, scrunching my nose in disgust. Malfoy looked up, his hand still buried inside the leather bag.

“I dunno, like the sourness, I guess,” he shrugged, eventually pulling his Dark Arts textbook out and setting it on the table.

“They’re gross,” I countered, shaking my head. Malfoy’s mouth fell open in shock, offended by my comment.

“Red ones are gross,” he said, but he couldn’t help the smile growing across his face.

“Sick comeback,” I retorted, sarcastically complimenting him. He rolled his eyes, flipping open his Dark Arts textbook.

“Good morning, you two,” I heard Jack say from behind me, but his tone was slightly bitter. I could tell the smile on his face was forced, but he sat down next to me. Malfoy didn’t even look at him, instead keeping his focus on the text.

“Here, I got these for you,” Jack said, pushing a bag into my hands. I peered inside, seeing an assortment of candy. Raising an eyebrow, I looked back up at him.

“I still feel bad about spraining your ankle, I thought you’d enjoy some candy,” he shrugged as he took off his robes, setting them on the table like Malfoy had done.

“Yeah, right,” Malfoy muttered under his breath, not looking at us. Jack shot him a glare, his eyes narrowing.

“Did you go to Hogsmeade?” I asked, reaching in and sifting through a few wrappers. They were all definitely from Honeydukes, but Dumbledore hadn’t approved a Hogsmeade visit since spring break started.

Jack nodded, reaching for a muffin. “I snuck out yesterday afternoon. Ended up outrunning Filch and that bloody cat,” he laughed, unpeeling the paper wrapper.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I said seriously, setting the bag on the table. 

“Anything for you,” Jack said jokingly, chuckling. His tone reminded me of the one he had on the boats in the beginning of the school year, when he had called me too pretty for Beauxbatons. 

The three of us fell into a small silence, Jack filling his plate with eggs and fruit, while Malfoy’s attention stayed on his textbook.

“I’m not prepared at all for the Dark Arts exam,” I shook my head, looking over at Malfoy’s textbook. Feeling the tension between the two, I offered him a small smile, but he didn’t see.

“Ask Simmons for help, I’m sure he knows everything about the Dark Arts. Isn’t that right, Durmstrang?” Malfoy taunted, his gaze finally raising in a glare directed at Jack. I rolled my eyes, tired of their immature behavior. I wasn’t expecting Jack’s response, however.

“She could ask your father, him being the Death Eater he is,” Jack growled, completely fed up with Malfoy’s mouth. Malfoy immediately stood, slamming the Dark Arts textbook closed. He shoved it away, the book sliding a few inches before friction brought it to a stop. Jack pushed himself upwards as well, glowering down at Malfoy. Jack had a couple inches on him, but they were still separated by the table. 

What the hell was a Death Eater?

“You watch your mouth, Simmons,” Malfoy snarled, his eyes filled with anger. His lips were set in a firm line, fists clenching at his side.

“Bet Olive didn’t know that, did you?” Jack broke his gaze away from Malfoy, looking down at me. My eyes widened, and I brought my foot down from the bench. The normal playfulness was absent from Jack’s eyes, and frankly, it was scaring me a bit.

“Leave her out of this,” Malfoy said, his thumbs running over his knuckles as he clenched and unclenched his fists. A few other students had looked over, interested in what was happening. My eyes swept down the professor’s table, which was completely empty. Of course.

I started to get nervous, not sure what to say or do. 

“Ever wonder how Malfoy gets all his money? The brooms?” Jack laughed, but it was bitter. Malfoy had finally sent him over the edge, the Jack I knew was nowhere in front of me.

“Jack-” I whispered, my right hand gripping the edge of the table as I brought myself to a semi-standing position, my bad leg kneeling on the bench. 

“Shut up, Simmons,” Malfoy said under his breath, his chest beginning to heave in anger.

“Malfoy’s father is Voldemort’s bitch.”

Jack barely got the sentence out before Malfoy had launched himself over the table, his foot pushing off the bench. He crashed into Jack, sending him flying backwards. I gasped as Jack’s back hit the stone, Malfoy on top of him. Hobbling to a full stand, my hands desperately searched for a crutch, figuring one was good enough for now. 

“Jesus Christ,” I mumbled under my breath, my eyes frantically darting between Jack and Malfoy.

Malfoy’s right arm was brought back at a sharp angle before his fist collided with Jack’s cheek. Jack’s head was whipped to the side, a loud cough coming from his lips. I wasn’t even sure whose name to call, so I stayed silent. I felt completely helpless, watching in horror as Jack managed to flip Malfoy over. With the newfound advantage, Jack began violently punching Malfoy in the jaw, who was struggling underneath him. His one arm barely covered his face as the other tried to get a solid hit on Jack. 

The other students had run across the Great Hall, forming a circle around the Slytherin table. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the two, couldn’t force my lips to say anything. Frozen in shock, I watched as Jack landed punch after punch, finally taking all of his anger out on Malfoy.

“Simmons!” Dumbledore’s voice boomed, causing Jack to finally stop. I raised a hand to my mouth as I saw Malfoy’s blood spread over his knuckles. Jack’s hair was messy, blood running from his nose past his lips and down his chin. A few red dots were splattered over his white shirt, seeping into the fabric and spreading outwards. Snape rushed over, his robes flying behind him as he approached. Dumbledore was on his tail, McGonagall following as well. 

I finally ripped my gaze from Jack to look at Malfoy, whose eyes were closed, his face smeared with blood. His normally perfect hair was messy, matching Jack’s. I winced as I saw a few strands dyed a dark red, the color seeping onto his forehead. Malfoy groaned, rolling onto his side between Jack’s legs. His face was contorted in pain, his hand clutching onto his side.

“What is going on?” Snape snapped, yanking Jack up by his upper arm. Jack stumbled a bit as Snape shoved him towards McGonagall, who had a stern look on her face. None of us answered him, the group of students around us immediately falling into a distant whisper. 

“Miss Wilkinson?” Snape asked, his tone not wavering. I blinked, taking a shaky breath. 

“Uh-” my eyes darted between Jack and Malfoy. “I dunno. It happened too fast,” I lied, biting my lip. 

“All three of you, my office,” Dumbledore instructed, his gaze sweeping over the small crowd of students. Immediately, they dispersed, returning to their house tables. 

Malfoy managed to stand, his hand still resting on his side as he grabbed his robes and bag. A small whimper left his lips as he rested the strap on his shoulder, biting down on his bottom lip. Snape yanked Jack’s things off the table as he was being led by McGonagall, who had a tight grip on the back of his shirt. 

I hobbled behind Snape, avoiding the looks the rest of the students gave as we left the Great Hall. Sneaking a look, I saw that Malfoy’s hands weren’t nearly as bloody as Jack’s. We must’ve looked insane, two boys covered in blood and a girl on crutches. 

As we were walking, Malfoy’s hand shakily rose to his nose, pressing his middle finger against his nostril before bringing it back down. Surprisingly, his nose wasn’t bleeding, but the blood from the cut on his cheekbone had started to drip onto his sweater.

Five minutes later, we were inside Dumbledore’s office. Dumbledore offered me his chair, taking my crutches from me once I sat down. I gave him a small smile before I hung my head, trying to remember what happened before Malfoy charged Jack. The fight was rather unfair, as Jack had gained the upper-hand quickly.

Dumbledore stood to my left, staring down the two boys. McGonagall and Snape stood to the side, Snape eyeing Jack. 

“Would either of you care to explain?” Dumbledore started, but was cut off by both of the boys yelling out.

“He started it!”

“He was making fun of my father!” 

Dumbledore sighed, his hand reaching up to readjust his glasses. I slumped in the chair, hoping he wouldn’t ask me-

“Miss Wilkinson?” he looked down at me.

I took a deep breath before I answered, my eyes darting between McGonagall and Snape, and then to Dumbledore. “I don’t know, I’m sorry. It all happened so fast.”

“It’s alright, dear,” McGonagall reassured me, offering me a small smile. I returned it before I focused my gaze on my fingers, which were nervously fidgeting with the hemmed edge of my robes. 

Since Dumbledore couldn’t get a straight answer out of the three of us, he released us after assigning detention to Jack and Malfoy. The two were to help the kitchen elves with every meal until spring break ended. Snape tried to jump in, claiming he had more appropriate punishments, but Dumbledore waved him off.

Dumbledore instructed Jack and Malfoy to stop at Pomfrey’s before returning to the common room, eventually shutting us out as he fell into a discussion with McGonagall and Snape.

“Olive-” Jack started, but I angrily spun on my good foot, glaring at him. 

“I don’t want to talk to you right now,” I snapped, and Malfoy snickered from behind him, a smirk on his lips. His right eye was slightly swollen, a deep gash on his right cheek and a cut on his bottom lip. 

“Or you,” I narrowed my eyes at Malfoy, whose eyes widened. With that, I turned, trying my hardest to hobble away as fast as I could. A few minutes later, I had muttered the password to the common room, allowing myself in. 

I spent the rest of the day holed up in my dormitory, cuddled up under a blanket. Half-heartedly, I flipped through my Dark Arts textbook, trying to remember what Lupin had recommended we study.

\---

I swapped breakfast for chocolate frogs the next day, simply not wanting to step foot in the Great Hall. By the time four o’clock rolled around, I couldn’t focus in the room anymore. Feeling the urge to study in the library, I quietly left the dormitory, sneaking down the hallway to the common room. 

My hand was on the doorknob, just about to turn it when I heard my name called quietly from behind me. I turned, seeing Malfoy standing by the windows, his hands in his pockets. I must’ve missed him when I was crossing the common room, I was too busy focusing on not tripping over my crutches. 

As I took in his appearance, my lips parted. Malfoy had definitely gotten the worst of the fight, his face still heavily bruised. It looked like Pomfrey had to stitch up his cheek, and the cut on his lip was in the process of scabbing over. 

“I broke his nose,” Malfoy chuckled, obviously noticing my eyes sweeping over his face. I sighed, my hand falling from the door and resting on the crutch’s handle. Crossing the room, I came to a stop a few feet away from him.

“You two are insane,” I scoffed, causing Malfoy to smile. He shrugged, sitting down on the chair. 

I bit the inside of my cheek, debating whether or not to invite Malfoy to the library with me. I wasn’t sure where Jack was, my eyes glancing over at the entrance to the boy’s wing.

“He’s out flying,” Malfoy answered, like he had read my mind. I glanced back at him, raising a suspicious eyebrow. “Goyle saw him leave with his broomstick.”

I nodded slowly, leaning forward onto the crutches.

“I was planning to go study in the library, do you wanna come with?” I offered, gesturing my head towards the common room door. 

“Uh, yeah. Lemme grab my bag. Snape wants me to write all the second-year potion procedures by memory, I need to get started on it,” Malfoy pushed himself out of the chair, wincing as he stood. His hand flew to his ribcage, resting on top of his sweater. I furrowed my eyebrows, looking from his hand to his face.

“Broke a couple ribs after I jumped over the table,” he shrugged, leaving for the boy’s wing.

A few moments later, he returned, his leather bag slung over his shoulder. The two of us left for the library, entering ten minutes later. There were virtually no students inside, just a couple Ravenclaws sitting in the back right corner. Malfoy and I opted for the back left, dropping down on either sides of the table.

We fell into a comfortable silence, each of us fully engrossed in our textbooks. The change of scenery was nice, the walls of my dormitory had gotten to be boring over the last twenty-four hours.

I pulled my Dark Arts textbook into my lap, propping my feet up on the chair next to me. I snuck a glance at Malfoy, who was biting his lip as his eyes darted back and forth between his potions textbook and his sheet of parchment. We went another few minutes in silence, the only sound coming from the clock that hung above the entrance.

“Hey,” Malfoy whispered, catching my attention. I looked up, my finger paused on the end of a paragraph about boggarts. His fingers were sliding a sheet of parchment paper toward me, a ripped corner with black ink scrawled on it. Squinting, I picked it up, trying to read his rushed handwriting.

“The Ravenclaws are snogging behind you,”

I frowned, lowering my hand as I turned. The Ravenclaws were, in fact, kissing, the girl basically in the boy’s lap.

I swiveled around in my seat, raising my eyebrows in surprise. Malfoy chuckled, settling back in his chair as he returned his attention to his potions textbook.

Thirty minutes later, I had the introductory paragraph of my Dark Arts essay done. Lupin had assigned a small assignment over spring break, which was supposed to help us prepare for the end-of-year exam. I had seen him once over the break, the two of us crossing paths as he was heading to the Great Hall for dinner.

Malfoy shifted in the chair, wincing as his ribcage accidentally brushed up against the wooden armrest. I frowned, reaching into my bag and retrieving a chocolate frog. Without saying anything, I slid it across the table, eventually hitting the edge of his textbook. He looked up, but I had busied myself with my essay, focusing on not splotching the ink. 

He took the chocolate frog hesitantly, resting his quill on the table as he opened the wrapper. Breaking the frog somewhat in half, he placed the larger half back into the aluminum, pushing it back to me. 

My stomach flipped at the small gesture, not expecting it. I bit my lip as I picked up the chocolate with my left hand, taking a small bite as I dipped my quill in an inkpot. 

“Try dragging the tip against the rim, it helps with excess ink,” Malfoy mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate, holding the back of his hand up to his lips as he chewed. I nodded, redipping and following his instructions. 

“And use a light hand, you only get splotches if you’re too heavy-handed or you rest the quill in the same place for a while,” he added, his eyes watching the tip of my quill. I took his advice, guiding the quill so the tip just barely scratched the parchment. Sure enough, my writing became smoother and the splotches had decreased in diameter.

“Thanks,” I muttered, shooting him a quick smile before bringing the chocolate to my mouth again.

Another thirty minutes went by, a couple more students entering the library. It was nearing seven o’clock, and my eyelids were feeling heavy. I fought through another couple paragraphs, my eyes darting between the parchment and text to ensure I was writing down the correct information. 

When my brain felt too foggy and my eyelids were begging to close on their own will, I set my quill down, resting my head in the crook of my arm. Malfoy looked up at the movement, his hand hovering above his textbook.

“Just a few minutes,” I mumbled, closing my eyes. Spring break had been far more exhausting than I had expected. Accidentally, I fell into unconsciousness, the library chair surprisingly comfortable. The last thing I heard was Malfoy scribbling on his parchment, the sharp tip of his quill dragging along the paper. 

When I woke, my eyelids fluttered open to a familiar white feather resting on the table. Raising my head, I stifled a yawn as my eyes tried to focus on the small corner of parchment underneath the quill. Malfoy had written on the same piece of ripped paper he had earlier, this time on the other side. 

“Keep it.”


	21. chapter twenty

By the time spring break ended, both Malfoy and Jack’s injuries had healed. I was still on crutches, which shocked Katie the instant she returned to the dormitory.

“What in the hell happened to you?” her mouth dropped open as she noticed my bandaged ankle, wheeling her trunk through the door frame.

“Jack accidentally bodied me when we were flying,” I laughed, her eyes widening. I sat up from where I had been resting against my pillows, coming to sit on the end of my bed. Continuing to explain, I told her that Jack had gone flying the first week of break. He had released the snitch, and simply didn’t see me in the way. Since the fight, I had only spoken to Jack a couple times, the first consisting of me yelling at him and calling him a bloody idiot. 

Him and Malfoy had kept their distance, except for when they were needed by the kitchen elves. I had even eaten lunch with just Goyle a few times, since Jack and Malfoy didn’t want to sit together. 

As I was asking Katie about her spring break, Pansy came barreling into the room, angrily pushing her trunk onto its side. 

“I hate Pucey,” she snapped, throwing her robes down in a huff and jumping on her bed. Katie shot me a look, and I shrugged, not knowing what Pansy was referring to.

“He broke up with me through an owl, can you believe it?” she scoffed, her eyebrows raising as she looked at the two of us. Honestly, I didn’t even know they had put a label on it.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Pansy,” Katie gave her a sympathetic smile as she began to unpack. I bit the inside of my cheek, but nodded with her, glancing at Pansy. Part of me was a teensy bit glad that Pucey had broken up with her, but the other part was worried about her clinging onto Malfoy like she had at the beginning of the school year.

I had spent the last few nights falling asleep to the memory of Malfoy splitting the chocolate frog. It was a small gesture, but it was the sweetest one I had witnessed yet. Even with his beat-up face, the way he bit down on the tip of his tongue as he concentrated on finding the perfect middle split-

“Olive!” Katie said, waving her hand at me. I glanced up, blinking a few times. “Dinner?”

I glanced over at the clock on my nightstand, which read half-past five.

“Yeah, of course,” I nodded, clearing my throat. Slipping out of bed, I tied my shoes as Katie changed into a Slytherin sweater.

“I swear, I’ll punch his face in if I see him,” Pansy muttered, shrugging on her robes.

The three of us left for the Great Hall, the common room filled with a few other Slytherins who were catching up after spring break. On the walk, there were no signs of any of the boys, which meant they were either already at dinner, or were skipping. 

Pansy was complaining about how she had procrastinated on the Dark Arts assignment, already expecting to spend all night on it. We walked through the doors, and I was surprised to see Malfoy and Jack sitting near one another. Jack was talking to Blaise, the two of them laughing, while Malfoy was in a conversation with Crabbe and Goyle.

Pomfrey had spelled Jack’s nose better, and after a couple days in a cast, it looked as good as new. Malfoy’s face had healed as well, a small scar on his cheekbone that was only there if you really looked for it. I didn’t expect either of them to tell the others, so I stayed silent, acting like nothing had happened.

“Hey, Jack. Blaise,” Katie’s smile grew as she looked at Blaise, sitting down next to him. The two fell into a hushed discussion, Katie erupting in giggles every now and then. I circled around the end of the table and sat down next to Jack, like I always did.

“Hi,” he muttered quietly, barely looking at me. 

“Hi,” I repeated, the level of my voice matching his. He sighed, finally turning so he could face me. 

“D’you remember when Malfoy and I were talking about the World Cup?” he asked, his fingers resting on the spoon he was using for cereal.

“Talking or arguing?” I scoffed under my breath, shaking my head. He gave me an exasperated sigh and raised an eyebrow.

“Whatever, smartass,” he said, and I chuckled. “Anyways, my parents have an extra ticket, so I wanted to ask if you wanted to join me. As an apology for everything that happened over spring break.”

I chewed on my lip, pondering his proposal. Honestly, I didn’t care a whole lot about quidditch, but from what I had heard about the cup, it seemed exciting. I nodded, and Jack’s face broke out into a smile.

“I’ll owl you when it nears, we can figure it out then,” he promised, turning his attention back to his cereal. I snuck a glance at Malfoy, who was desperately trying to escape Pansy’s babbling. He shot her a glare, his nose scrunching up as she reached for his arm. I sucked my lips between my teeth to keep from smiling when he yanked his arm out of her grasp, snapping at her to find someone else. 

She huffed, giving up and standing. Grabbing her robes, she left the Great Hall in a hurry, not looking back. I caught Malfoy’s gaze for a second, the two of us exchanging soft smiles before Malfoy got his attention taken by Crabbe.

\---

The following weeks went by in a whirlwind of homework and studying. The school quidditch season had wrapped up, Slytherin winning the last game with Jack as seeker, earning us the cup. The Slytherin house had celebrated that night, nearly every student packed into the common room, laughing and talking the night away.

Even Malfoy had been in unusually high spirits that night, willingly volunteering himself to play card games with Blaise and Katie. For most of the evening, I had perched myself on the couch armrest, watching game after game.

Since everyone returned to school, Malfoy and I rarely were alone together. The need for tutoring sessions had long been absent, and every study session in the library was accompanied by others. Pansy still hadn’t caught on to Malfoy’s hints, hanging on him every chance she could. I never said anything though, not wanting to cause a stir. 

Jack had returned to his normal, care-free self, acting as if the fight and the words he spat never happened. It was odd, seeing him pretend in front of the others, but I suppose I was doing the same myself. 

By the middle of May, Blaise and Katie had made it official-official, constantly cuddling in the common room or making out in the shadows of the hallways. Jack had caught them multiple times, always embarrassing them the next morning at breakfast.

Finals week was fast approaching, stress crashing down on every student. Gryffindor was still in the lead for the House Cup, which royally pissed off Blaise and Jack, who desperately wanted Slytherin to win.

The potions exam was scheduled for early in the week. Snape had decided on a written exam, as opposed to the way the mid-year exam was. I had held onto Malfoy’s quill this time, which was extremely useful for the test.

As soon as I scribbled down the last answer, my eyes swept down the parchment, checking my work. I felt extremely confident, as I had spent the most time studying for potions. Proudly, I slipped off the stool, walking to the front of the classroom to hand my exam to Snape. He released me, so I returned to the common room, waiting for the others to finish.

“That was complete rubbish,” Jack groaned the second he entered through the door, chucking his bag at the couch in defeat. It bounced off the leather, settling onto the floor. 

“Wasn’t that hard,” Shrugging, I sat up, kicking my feet off the couch. I had been studying for Dark Arts, as the exam was tomorrow morning. 

“Yeah, but you’ve got that weird competition thing going with Malfoy,” he shrugged, collapsing down on the couch. “I’ve never seen you study that hard.”

“Just wanted to outscore him,” I brushed it off, frowning. Snape was supposed to let us know our scores before the Express departed for the summer, and the second after I turned in my exam, I was already eager to know.

I looked up as I heard the common room door open, Malfoy and Crabbe walking through. They didn’t say anything to us, the two of them in a hushed whisper as they veered off to the left and walked down the boy’s wing.

The rest of the afternoon was spent studying for the Dark Arts exam with Jack, the two of us spreading out in the common room. Even though Malfoy’s constant jabs throughout the year were meant to be mean, Jack was actually quite knowledgeable about the subject. That night, I felt better than I ever had for a Dark Arts exam.

The week went by quickly, soon finding myself on Friday night. I had taken my last end-of-year exam this afternoon, which was Transfiguration. Katie, Pansy, and I were in the dormitory, starting to pack our things. The Express left at eleven the next morning, and I was already not looking forward to the eight-hour journey. 

As I was folding some sweaters, I smirked to myself, remembering how Malfoy had looked when the dementors attacked the train back in September. 

“Do you want this, Olive?” Pansy called, holding up a Slytherin scarf. Shrugging, I nodded and caught it when she tossed it over. 

“I can’t wait to go through the lost-and-found next September,” she giggled to herself, causing Katie to chuckle as well. The three of us had requested to live together again for our fourth-year, Snape approving it as head of house. I liked living with Katie, and Pansy was, well, bearable, given the fact I barely met any other Slytherin girls this year.

Two hours and lots of gossiping later, our trunks were mostly packed. I laid my clothes for tomorrow at the end of my bed, excited to not have to wear my robes for a few months. 

“I heard Flint was going to put his name into the Goblet of Fire next year,” Katie said, raising her eyebrows. I cocked my head, confused as to what she was referring to. At times, I felt like I was a first-year, not knowing what students were talking about.

“But he’s a seventh-year this year,” Pansy said, furrowing her eyebrows. 

“Yeah, but everyone knows he’s gonna get held back,” Katie said nonchalantly, causing me to chuckle. 

“It’s for the Triwizard Tournament,” Katie explained, picking up on my confused expression from earlier. “Every five years, either Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, or Durmstrang hosts it. You have to be seventeen to enter, though.”

I nodded, grabbing a picture frame from my nightstand. Looking down, I saw my parents smiling back at me, seven-year-old me squeezed between them. Sighing, I tucked it between two sweaters, ensuring the glass wouldn’t shatter.

“I can’t wait for the ball,” Pansy hummed, clutching her robes to her chest as she pretended to waltz around in the middle of the room. I cocked an eyebrow, watching her warily. “Maybe I’ll go with Draco, I could make him ask me.”

Jealousy pinged inside me before I even digested her words, which threw me off guard. Malfoy and I hadn’t even talked in the past couple weeks, and barely since spring break. I shouldn’t care if the two of them went to a ball that I hadn’t even heard of until five seconds ago.

“I’ll go with Blaise, and Olive can go with Jack!” Katie smiled, glancing over at me. “It’ll be perfect.”

I bit my lip, deciding whether or not to say something. 

“It’s a bit early, though, don’t you think?” I shrugged, and Katie’s smile faltered. Immediate regret filled me, so I gave her a weak smile. 

“I don’t care, I’m getting my dress this summer,” Pansy brushed it off, folding her robes. “Do you guys think I should get a silver or ice blue dress? I swear, Draco’s eyes change depending on the day. I’d definitely want us to match, his hair color could go with anything-”

“What if he didn’t go with you?” I cut her off, my tone sharper than I had intended for it to be. She paused, looking over at me with a scowl on her face.

“Why wouldn’t he go with me?” Pansy narrowed her eyes, and Katie looked between the two of us. I had dug myself into a hole, and I was desperately searching for a way out.

“I dunno, he could go with his hair gel,” I tried to play off my interruption as a joke, but it was weak and honestly, didn’t make any sense. Pansy’s face relaxed, and she chuckled. 

“Maybe I’ll get him new cologne this summer, the one he wears now kinda hurts my head,” she continued to swoon over him, and I wanted to go throw myself off the astronomy tower. 

Quickly, I glanced out the window, seeing the sky was still somewhat light. Thank God for the late sunsets the early summer provided. “I’m going to go for a walk, one last round for the year, ya know? Feels good to be off crutches,” I said suddenly, starting to ramble without meaning to. Katie raised a suspicious eyebrow, but she nodded, watching as I grabbed my wand and left the room. As I walked towards the common room, I tucked my wand up my sleeve and crossed my arms. A few other Slytherins were sitting by the fire, and I gave them a quick wave as I passed. 

I wasn’t going to actually pitch myself off the astronomy tower, but I thought it might be a nice spot to watch the sunset. As I walked, I looked up to the sky, guessing I had another forty minutes or so until the darkness crept in. The summer breeze was warm and the trees swayed back and forth, their green leaves fluttering in the light wind. 

Fifteen minutes later, I was resting on a window ledge in the astronomy tower, looking out to the western side of Hogwarts. 

“Do you mind?” I heard a voice say from down the spiral staircase, causing me to jump. The tone was accusatory or annoyed, but rather gentle. Turning, I saw Malfoy’s blonde hair poking over the railing, looking at me. My heart calmed and I shook my head, turning back out the window. 

“My father was pissed he couldn’t fire Hagrid this year,” he chuckled, walking up and leaning his forearms against the ledge beside me. A small smile danced on my lips, and I suddenly realized that Malfoy had stopped pulling stunts in Magical Creatures after Christmas break. 

“I’m sure he could’ve if you tried harder,” I teased, my eyes tracing Hogwarts’ silhouette against the changing colors of the sky. I was glad Hagrid didn’t get fired though, I had liked his class.

“Eh, the nifflers were kinda fun,” Malfoy shrugged, pouting out his bottom lip a bit. We stood in silence for a bit, watching the sun descend.

“Thank you for the quill, by the way,” I said under my breath, looking over at him. He nodded, his gaze still focused straight ahead.

The silence that fell between us was comfortable, almost soothing. We stood side by side, leaning against the window ledge as we watched the sun dip below the first spire, and then the second, and then become engulfed by the horizon. The birds slowly stopped singing, nesting down for the night. The sounds of frogs and crickets could be heard from the lake, although it was faint.

“We should go,” I spoke, my voice slightly raspy from not speaking for so long. Clearing my throat, I pushed off the stone, crossing my arms over my chest. Malfoy started to turn, his eyes lingering on the burnt-orange sky, like he was thinking about saying something. 

“Yeah,” he nodded, swallowing thickly as he turned. The two of us descended the staircase, eventually letting out into a hallway. We walked together, Malfoy’s arms swinging in a rhythm by his sides. Just as we turned a corner, we heard Filch yell from behind us.

“Oi! You two, get back here! Just because classes are over doesn’t mean I can’t give you detention!” he yelled, beginning to pick up his pace. I heard Mrs. Norris meow loudly, it echoing down the hallway.

“Come on!” Malfoy looked over his shoulder, his hand reaching out and wrapping around my wrist. He pulled me with him, and the two of us started running down the hallway. My laughs bounced between the walls, our shoes slapping loudly against the stone. Within minutes, we had lost Filch, having taken multiple left and right turns as a precaution. Malfoy was slightly out of breath, his chest heaving with each inhale. My cheeks were flushed, the tiniest amount of pain in my ankle. 

I had completely forgotten about it having been sprained, Malfoy had me too caught up in the moment to remember. We walked to the Slytherin common room, my hands on my hips as I skipped down the staircase. I waved goodbye to him, shooting him a small smile before I turned down the girl’s wing. 

Pansy and Katie were still awake when I returned, completely packed now. I excused myself for a shower, dipping back out of the room. A large smile spread over my face that I couldn’t hold back, my lungs still burning from the running. 

\---

The next morning, the three of us were rolling our trunks out of the room one by one. Waiting for a couple second-years to pass, we followed them down the hallway and into the common room. The prefects had told us to leave our trunks in the common room, assuring us they would make their way onto the Express. I set mine between Jack’s and Katie’s, and we followed the crowd of students who were leaving the common room.

“Miss Wilkinson!” I heard Snape call from behind me, just as I was about to walk up the stairs. Jack, Katie, and Pansy continued after I waved them on. Snape’s pace was brisk, reaching me in a few moments.

“Your exam,” he said, holding out a sheet of parchment. I took it from him, my eyes travelling to the large ninety-seven percent circled in the upper right.

“Did I-” I started to ask about my performance compared to Malfoy’s, but Snape cut me off by nodding his head. Smirking to myself, I thanked him and wished him a good summer. As I hopped up the stairs, I folded the parchment, tucking it into the pocket of my jeans.

I didn’t care if Malfoy never found out I had outscored him, just me knowing was enough.

The Express left on time like usual, the long eight hours starting. The Slytherin group had a compartment at the back of one of the cars, Jack, Katie, Blaise and I on one side, and the others across from us. 

The train ride was long, mostly spent with each of us talking about summer plans. I snuck a few glances at Malfoy, but never caught his eye. 

“I’m taking Olive to the World Cup,” Jack said when it was his turn, smiling down at me. In my peripheral vision, I saw Malfoy’s snap towards us from where he was looking out the window. 

“That’ll be exciting! I’ve always wanted to go,” Katie whined, obviously jealous. 

“Well, I’ll be getting my Yule Ball dress in London,” Pansy said smugly, crossing her arms and sitting back on the bench. 

“How do you know you’ll get asked?” Blaise asked, his tone somewhere between genuine and teasing. Katie elbowed him in the ribs, giving him a stern look. He shrugged, his eyes widening as he whined out a “what?”

“Draco and I will go, it’s simple,” Pansy shrugged, reigniting that jealousy at the bottom of my stomach. “Like you said Katie, you and Blaise, and Olive and Jack. I dunno about you, Crabbe and Goyle, you two will have to find someone.”

Her statements were simply put, like she wasn’t expecting anyone to argue with her. Crabbe gave her a small scoff, furrowing his eyebrows in offense. I saw Malfoy stiffen in his seat, his spine straightening, but he kept his gaze out the window. Pansy smirked, her eyes tracing over Malfoy’s profile. 

The rest of the train ride went slower than I wanted it to, the compartment feeling stuffy and unbearable after Pansy’s little rant about the ball. When the trolley lady came by, Jack bought me and him some jelly beans, and we guessed flavors for the remainder of the ride.

Hours later, we finally pulled into King’s Cross. Before the train even came to a full stop, students were standing in the aisleway, anxious to see their families. I was lined between Jack and Katie, trying to catch a glance of my aunt out of the train’s windows.

Once we got off the train, I stood with Jack, looking around the platform. Katie and Blaise immediately left, waving to us and wishing us a good summer. My eyes followed them as they left, seeing Blaise squeeze her hand as they approached her parents. Malfoy took off as well, and I watched as he joined his mother and father. Like I had after Christmas break, I caught his father’s eye across the bustling platform. His eyes narrowed, before they darted to Jack beside me. 

“I see my parents, I gotta go,” Jack said, looking down at me after he waved at his parents. “I’ll send you an owl, alright?” he called as he started to walk backwards, waving at me.

“Have a good summer!” I yelled over the crowd, returning his wave until he got lost in the crowd. After a few more moments of scouring the platform, I saw my aunt, who was shoving her way in between families. A large smile washed over my face, and I picked up my pace, running towards her. We enveloped each other in a quick hug, and I squeezed her extra tight before letting go.

“You look so much older, I swear,” she gushed, holding my face between her hands. I rolled my eyes, telling her it had only been less than half a year.

“I missed you,” I said through my smile, excited to be home. The two of us received my trunk from the train, and we started to walk through the station, heading for the parking lot. 

The drive home was quick, it almost felt weird to be in a car after only using magic for five and a half months. As Aunt Beth pulled into the driveway, I peered out the window, my gaze falling on my bedroom. While I was away, Aunt Beth had done some work on the house, like painting the front door a different color and filling the planters outside with colorful flowers. 

She left me to wrangle my trunk upstairs, saying she was going to make some lemonade and sandwiches for dinner. Five minutes later, I had managed to yank my trunk upstairs step by step. My bedroom door was open, so I rolled my trunk in, setting it by the end of my bed. Shrugging off my jacket, I tossed it on my bed before I returned to my doorway.

Either my aunt hadn’t noticed the crack, or she had and couldn’t fix it. Like I had over Christmas break, I ran my fingers along the split, biting the tip of my tongue as I tried to figure out where it had come from. I guess it could’ve happened before my parents died, maybe I accidentally ran into the closed door too hard and didn’t hear the split. 

Humming to myself, I returned to my trunk, kneeling down and starting to unpack. I threw a couple of my normal sweaters on my bed, my eyes falling on the obscene amount of Slytherin apparel I had accumulated over the school year. Cursing under my breath, I pulled out scarves, mittens, hats and sweaters, all green and silver. I stood, crossing the room to my dresser and pulled out the bottom drawer, deciding to shove them in there. 

I bent over my trunk, pulling out a few more things before a flash of silver caught my eye, near the top latch. Furrowing my eyebrows, I dug my hand deeper into the trunk, moving a pair of jeans out of the way. My fingers fell on an aluminum wrapper, and I pulled it out, seeing it was a chocolate frog. Laughing to myself, I figured it must’ve fallen into my trunk months ago, maybe after a Hogsmeade trip.

Tossing it in the air as I walked to my nightstand, I noticed scrawled writing on the back. Although slightly smudged, I could read out a “-M”. My lips parted as I realized Malfoy must’ve slipped it in, as I knew no one else whose name started with M. I highly doubted McGonagall would’ve put a chocolate frog in my trunk. Biting my lip, I smiled to myself as I set it down next to my lamp. 

“Just a turkey sandwich, Olive?” I heard my aunt call up the stairs, my attention snapping to the upstairs hallway.

“Yes, please!” I yelled back as I walked back to my trunk. Since I was nearly done unpacking, I figured I might as well finish before dinner. I stored my textbooks under my bed for the summer, just in case one of my Muggle friends came over. It felt foreign, calling them ‘Muggle friends,’ rather than just friends. I shrugged it off, reaching into my trunk for the picture frame of my parents. 

Suddenly, I heard a loud crash from downstairs, like a chair had been knocked over. I set the frame down on my nightstand, not bothering to properly push the stand out. 

“Aunt Beth?” I called, but she didn’t answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg twenty chapters in!!! Also third-year comes to a close thank god
> 
> Happy Thursday!!


	22. chapter twenty-one

“Aunt Beth?” I called, but she didn’t answer. 

My eyebrows knitted together, and I tip-toed to my door frame, sticking my head out into the hallway. I could hear the kitchen sink still running, and my heart seized. Instantly, I was transported back to the day I found my parents dead, hearing the water running in the kitchen. I blinked a few times, begging my conscious to bring me back to reality. 

I was when I heard the water stop. 

Quietly, I slipped out of my bedroom. I carefully walked to the top of the stairs, avoiding the areas that creaked. Years ago, I had learned where they were so I could sneak cookies at night, my parents never knowing. Now, it seemed like it was a matter of life or death. Stepping slowly down the staircase, my fingers gripped the railing tightly. My wand was still hidden up my sleeve, but I prayed I didn’t need it. When I saw Aunt Beth laying on the living room floor, my mouth opened in shock. The coffee table had been knocked over, the magazines normally stacked neatly on top now strewn about the room. She was on her back, all four of her limbs splayed out over the rug. My heart dropped at the idea of her being dead. 

I couldn’t go through this again, not now.

My heart stopped when I looked into the kitchen, being met with a masked figure staring back at me. I was frozen in fear, standing on the last step as they approached, their walk so smooth it was like they glided across the floor. A black hood hung over their head, connected to the mask. I couldn’t even tell if it was a man or a woman, but that was the last thing on my mind. The mask was intricate, a unique design on the forehead, and the only holes were for their eyes.

My fight-or-flight instincts kicked in as the person approached, and I launched myself off the staircase. Knowing this house better than whoever that was, I jumped on top of the couch’s side table. I sucked in a breath as the table wiggled under my weight, but I was off it in a matter of seconds, accidentally knocking off the lamp. The ceramic bottom shattered the instant it hit the floor, the white pieces scattering across the hardwood. The person shot a nonverbal spell at me, my leg just barely dodging the stream of light. Scrambling into the kitchen, I turned, my back up against the door that led to the patio.

They cast another spell at my left, obviously missing me on purpose. I flinched away, turning into my right shoulder. My knee was kicked out from under me, and I collapsed onto the floor, my wand skittering across the linoleum. With a gloved hand, they pointed their wand at me. I whimpered, my feet kicking myself backwards until my back hit the wall. They took slow steps, their wand never wavering. I squeezed my eyes shut in fear, feeling the tip of their wand prod under my chin, forcing me to raise my head. My eyes opened, staring deep into the mask as they knelt to one knee. Their eyes searched me, darting back and forth between my right and left eye. 

My hand desperately patted the floor on my right, hoping my wand was within reach. It wasn’t until my fingers brushed over the vent that I realized it was the same one my mother’s hand had been resting on. Immediately, I snatched my hand back, a shaky breath escaping my chest. My bottom lip trembled, and I squeezed my eyes shut again. A few seconds passed, neither I or the person moving.

I breathed out a sigh of relief as they stood, the tip of their wand releasing from my skin. They took a step back, still staring down at me. With a loud pop, they were gone, as if they never even stepped foot in my house. I opened my left eye right, and then my right. My heart was pounding so hard, I was certain it was going to break my ribcage. 

Numbness fell over me for a second, not feeling anything. No fear, no sadness, no anything.

“Aunt Beth,” I whispered, suddenly scrambling to my feet. Running quickly to the living room, my foot slipped on a piece of the lamp, causing me to slip. I recovered, catching my balance and jumped over the back of the couch. Falling to my knees beside her, I cradled Aunt Beth’s head in my lap. 

“You can’t be,” I barely got out before a sob escaped my lips. My eyes swept over her face, her eyes staring straight ahead. With a shaky hand, I reached up and brushed a piece of hair off her forehead. I bit down hard on my bottom lip, frustrated that it wouldn’t stop trembling. Squeezing my eyes shut, a single tear dropped onto her cheek as I lowered my head, resting my face in her shoulder. 

I sat like that for a few minutes, too exhausted to move myself or her. Her finger twitched in my peripheral, causing my head to shoot up. I sniffled, raising my palms and dragging them over my cheeks to wipe away the tears. Her hand began to move, and a few seconds later, she inhaled deeply. 

“That son of a bitch stupefied me,” Aunt Beth muttered, her eyes fluttering open. I leaned back as she brought herself into a sitting position, resting her arm on the couch. 

“Jesus Christ, I thought you died,” I breathed out, my tongue darting out to wet my lips. She rolled her eyes, bringing a hand up to run her fingers through her hair. Her eyes darted around the living room, and she turned her head to look into the kitchen.

“Who was that?” I asked quietly, causing her to turn her attention back to me. She sighed, rubbing her right eye as her face turned away from me. She held her hand to her cheek for a moment, frozen.

“A Death Eater,” she mumbled, not looking at me. My eyebrows furrowed together, confused. I had never actually asked Jack or Malfoy what a Death Eater was, I had never found the right time. 

“Why were they here?” I pressed, not even positive I wanted to know the answer. She looked back at me, a sullen look on her face as she shook her head gently.

“I don’t know.”

\---

Personally, August was my favorite month of the year. The days were long, and the nights were warm. Katie and I had been writing to each other back and forth all summer, and Aunt Beth had finally allowed Katie to visit. Even through owl, Katie couldn’t stop talking about the Yule Ball and how she desperately wanted to go dress-shopping before school started. She claimed that her mother would send her something ugly if she didn’t, which she just couldn’t deal with. 

She had practically begged to come visit, wanting me to take her to a Muggle store. So, on an August Wednesday afternoon, the two of us were in London, perusing the shops. 

“You would look so good in that dress,” she gushed, yanking me through the doors of a small boutique. I barely got a look at it, immediately almost running into a rack of clothing as soon as I was through the door. The worker glared at me, and I offered a small smile as an apology. 

“This one, look!” Katie said excitedly, pointing at the back of one of the mannequins in the window. My gaze swept over the dress, which was floor-length and had thin straps over the shoulders. It was satin emerald green, and rather form-fitting up top. 

“I do not have the chest for that,” I scoffed, shooting Katie a look. She rolled her eyes, immediately beginning to scour the shop for the same dress on the racks. 

“Just try it on, I’ve already got my dress and we are not leaving until you have yours,” she said without looking at me, her gaze still flickering through the shop. 

After ten minutes of Katie sweet-talking the salesperson into getting the dress in my size, I was shoved into a fitting room and the dress was thrown over the top of the door. I sighed, quickly undressing and slipping into the dress. The material was soft and silky, and I could easily zip it up, given the low back of the gown. I turned to the side, looking over my shoulder in the mirror. The dress was pretty, Katie definitely had a good eye.

“Are you done yet?” I heard her call impatiently from the other side of the door, her fist pounding against the wood a couple times. Chuckling, I turned the lock and opened the door.

Her mouth dropped in shock, her eyes trailing up and down. “Oh, you gotta get that.”

I laughed, glancing back at my reflection. My hands grazed down my sides, coming to a rest on my hips. 

“Just imagine it with some silver jewelry,” Katie tilted her head as she looked at me, closing one eye like she was trying to picture it. I was wearing my parent’s necklace like always, the silver branch hanging above my sternum. The neckline of the dress was lower than I had expected, and I bit the inside of my cheek.

“It seems low for school,” I admitted, reaching up to tug at the skinny straps so I could pull the neckline higher.

“Eh, whatever. You could get it altered?” Katie suggested, leaning up against the doorway of the fitting room. I frowned as I considered it, and shrugged.

“Besides, you’re gonna throw Jack for a loop by looking like that,” she smiled.

I rolled my eyes, and Katie didn’t let it go unnoticed. “What?” she asked, narrowing her eyes playfully.

“You just keep assuming I’ll go with Jack,” I said simply, letting the straps go. The neckline fell back down to the normal spot, and I looked in the mirror, trying to figure out if I liked it or not.

“Are you not planning to?” she pressed further, suddenly very interested. Pushing herself off the frame with her shoulder, she stood up straight. For some reason, I felt like I couldn’t tell her about Malfoy.

“Maybe I’ll go with a Durmstrang boy,” I flicked my eyebrows upwards in a teasing motion, shooting her a smile before beginning to shut the door. She stepped back, letting the door fall shut. 

“They do sit with the Slytherins at meals,” she said through the door, chuckling lightly. I bit my lip, giving the dress one last look before I started to undress. I couldn’t help but let my mind wander, thinking about the last time I saw Malfoy. The chocolate frog he had slipped into my trunk still sat in the drawer of my nightstand, untouched since I had unpacked.

I dressed into my prior clothes, buttoning the waistband of my shorts. Hanging the dress over my arm, I stepped out of the fitting room. Katie had wandered away to the other racks, flipping through some blouses. 

Five minutes later, the two of us left the store, the green dress wrapped up nicely in a bag that rested in the crook of my elbow.

\---

The rest of the summer went by as normal. Ever since the Death Eater had entered the house, Aunt Beth and I stayed on high alert, sometimes even sleeping in the same room as one another. However, there were no other odd happenings, and the fear inside me eventually faded.

I was woken by an owl pecking at my window, sitting on the window box.

“What the hell?” I muttered, my eyes fluttering open. My vision was bleary, so I blinked a few times, eventually adjusting to the sunlight. The owl continued to rap at the glass, at a faster pace now.

“Jesus, shut up,” Groaning, I rolled out of bed and stumbled to the window. Once I opened it, the owl hopped from the windowbox and onto my ledge, a trail of dirt following it. I let out an exasperated sigh, reaching up and rubbing at my right eye with the back of my hand. Hooting impatiently, the owl leaned on one foot, demanding that I untie the note.

“”To Olive:

I’ve sent Ace - just a warning, he’s very impatient.””

Looking up at the owl, I scoffed, agreeing with the statement. 

“”If you send back your address, I can pick you up for the World Cup this Wednesday. It’s in Dartmoor, but my parents are willing to help us travel most of the way by the Floo Network. I’ll tell you about it later. I’ve also got Irish stuff for you to wear.

Miss you loads,  
Jack””

Immediately, I wrote Jack back and fed Ace some of Athena’s pellets. Sending Ace back on his way, I shut the windows and skipped downstairs for breakfast.

The rest of the week passed quickly, mostly spent sleeping in and watching movies with Aunt Beth. She had taken the last half of August off of work, spending time with me before I returned to Hogwarts. 

Jack was an avid Ireland supporter, and I had heard that most students at Hogwarts were as well. As I was deciding what to bring to the cup, I heard a car door shut outside, indicating Jack had arrived. Aunt Beth was out grocery shopping, leaving me alone in the house. I ran down the stairs and flung open the front door before he even got the chance to knock.

“Hey, stranger,” I smiled, immediately enveloping him in a hug. Squeezing his shoulders tightly, I looked into the car, seeing his parents sitting in the front seat. Slightly embarrassed, I pulled back, Jack’s hands resting on my waist. 

“I gotta get my bag, one minute,” I ushered him inside, closing the door before I turned and took the stairs two at a time. As I was turning around the banister at the top, I looked down, seeing Jack pacing around my living room. His hands were in his front pockets, his gaze sweeping over the fireplace mantle. I dipped into my room, throwing the duffel bag strap over my shoulder and reaching for a pair of shoes.

“Are your parents home? I wanna meet them,” he asked once my feet hit the bottom floor, turning around to look at me. I sucked in a breath, biting down on my bottom lip.

“Oh, no. They’re out,” I shrugged, bending down to tie my shoes. Technically, it wasn’t a lie.

Jumping back up, I readjusted the duffel bag, shooting Jack a smile.

“Ready?” he chuckled, scratching the top of Athena’s head. She hooted gently, her eyes closing as she pressed the top of her head into his palm. I nodded and he opened the front door, letting me out. As he waited on the front porch, I locked the door, giving it a couple jimmies to ensure myself I had locked it. 

Jack took my bag from me, dropping it in the trunk of his parent’s car. I crawled in when he held the door open for me, him sliding in after me.

“Miss Wilkinson, I presume?” his father asked, looking at me in the rearview mirror.

“Call me Olive, please,” I smiled, and his father returned a small one. Jack’s mother turned in her seat, looking at the two of us. 

“Jack told us you were a Slytherin as well,” she said, her voice reserved and elegant. I nodded, glancing over at Jack.

“Olive’s super smart, too. Outscored Malfoy this year,” Jack laughed, and my stomach flipped at the mention of his name. 

“Malfoy, hm?” his father said, pulling out onto the main street. His tone was odd, and it irked me that I couldn’t figure out why. It almost seemed as if the two families had heard of each other, but Jack rolled his eyes, sitting back against the leather.

“I’m glad that Jack has made so many friends, so fast,” his mother added, her gaze flickering over her husband’s face. 

I stayed silent, beginning to fiddle with the seatbelt. The ride was quiet, Jack whispering to me that his parents were taking us to a family friend’s house in order to access the Floo Network. 

Within forty-five minutes, the car pulled into a driveway. The house stood tall, at least three stories. As soon as Jack’s father turned off the car, Jack hopped out, immediately rounding the car to the trunk. I stepped out on my side, my eyes sweeping up the house before turning and joining Jack. Jack had shouldered both our bags, his hands holding onto the straps. 

“Follow me,” he gestured his head to the front door, where his parents were already reuniting with the owners. As they were deep in conversation, Jack slipped us past them and inside. An elf scurried by, its bare feet slapping the floor as it quickly ducked through a doorway. I glanced at Jack with a questioning look, and then looked back to the doorway, now empty.

“House elf,” Jack whispered, and I raised an eyebrow, following him up the stairs. Once we were inside what I assumed to be a guest bedroom, Jack set our bags down on one of the two beds. 

The house was intricately decorated, paintings hanging side by side down the hallway. The bedroom had two queen-sized four poster beds, the spindles reaching high towards the ceiling. As I took my bag from the bed and moved it to the other, I looked out the window, seeing nothing but trees outside.

“Who lives here?” I asked, dropping my bag on the bed. Jack was already rifling through his bag, looking for a sweater. 

“Family friends, the Levski’s,” Jack answered, finally finding his sweater and pulling it over his head. My eyebrows furrowed at the Bulgarian last name, biting my lip.

“And you’re an Ireland fan?” I teased, unzipping my bag and shoving my jacket inside of it. 

“Surprised you picked that up, smartass,” Jack threw my teasing back, a playful smile on his face. I laughed, shaking my head as I zipped my bag back up. “I just go with whoever’s having the best season.”

“How loyal,” I said sarcastically, causing Jack to throw one of the pillows at me. Ducking, it hit the ground behind me and I stood back up, raising my middle finger at him. 

I immediately brought my hand to my side when Jack’s father cleared his throat, not noticing he was standing in the doorway during the playfight. My eyes widened, looking over at Jack.

“When you two are finished, I’d like Olive to come down and meet the Levski’s. Dinner is almost ready,” he said, his eyes glancing between Jack and I. I nodded quickly, averting my gaze. His father gave us a final gaze and left, closing the door behind him. 

“Nice one,” Jack scoffed, rolling his eyes. I gave him an exasperated sigh, my head falling to the right. The two of us left the room, and I straightened my sweater, gathering my hair over one shoulder as we descended the stairs. I hadn’t noticed it when I entered, but a gigantic chandelier hung over the foyer, multiple layers of candles illuminating the space. 

Jack walked ahead of us, leading me into the dining room. The table was partially full with the others, who turned as we entered. I dipped my head in acknowledgment, shooting smiles around the table. Jack’s parents were sitting on one side of the long table, three placemats set on the other side. Only Mrs. Levski was sitting on one end of the table, the chair across from her empty. Jack rounded the table, dropping a quick kiss on his mother’s cheek. He sat in the middle chair, and I sat down on his right. 

“Ivan!” Jack said, turning as a boy entered. From the looks of it, he was a few years older than us, standing tall and a beard along his jawline. His face broke out in a smile as he walked over, sitting on Jack’s left. 

“This is Olive, from Hogwarts,” Jack introduced us, leaning back so Ivan and I could shake hands over him.

“Ivan, an old friend from Durmstrang,” Jack looked from me to him, finishing the introduction. The boys quickly fell into a discussion, the two of them huddled together. My eyes swept around the room, falling on the carvings that adorned the fireplace. Another house elf rushed past me, holding a silver platter with a roasted turkey on it. He stopped next to me, and I leaned back, not sure what to do. The elf set the turkey on the table, pushing it towards the middle, before he turned and ran out of the room.

“Olive, this is Viktoria, Ivan’s mother,” Jack’s mother said, a warm smile on her face. I looked from her to Viktoria, holding my hand out. We shook hands, and I gave her a smile, which she returned.

“Are you and Jack dating?” she asked, her gaze flickering from me to Jack, who was still turned away from me, laughing with Ivan. Before I could help it, a chuckle pushed past my lips.

“Oh, no. Just friends,” I reassured her, glancing over at Jack’s mother. Her eyes were focused on Jack, her lips slightly pursed. 

“I bet Hogwarts students are excited to host the Triwizard Tournament this year, as it takes fifteen years for it to happen,” Viktoria said, barely moving her elbow when an elf set down a glass of water in front of her. 

“I just transferred this past year, I think I’m more excited for the Yule Ball than the tournament,” I tried to joke, but Viktoria only gave me a weak laugh.

“Where were you before Hogwarts? Beauxbatons, I presume?” she questioned, raising an eyebrow. My eyes slightly narrowed, suspicion sneaking up inside me. 

I shook my head, looking away for a moment. “Muggle school, ma’am.”

“I see,” she said, and I could see her swallow thickly as she raised her chin in the air. Viktoria turned her attention to Jack’s mother, and the two of them started a discussion about Durmstrang, completely leaving me out. 

I sighed in relief, blinking a couple times before looking back down at the placemat. As I had been talking to Viktoria, the house elves had completed serving, the table now full of main and side dishes. 

“Please, everyone. Dig in,” Mr. Levski said from where he was standing at the head of the table. Once he sat down, the others started passing platters around, conversation and laughter soon filling the dining room. 

Dinner went slowly, mostly spent talking with Ivan and Jack. Nearly an hour later, Mr. Levski had released us from the table, all seven of us leaving the dishes for the elves to clean. I followed Jack back upstairs, Ivan trailing me. He split off into his bedroom, leaving Jack and I alone in the hallway. 

Jack and I talked ourselves to sleep, telling each other about our summers. Laying on my back, I stared up at the black ceiling, Jack fifteen feet away from me on the other bed. Apparently, Jack had received a new broom as a birthday present, which he claimed was better than the brooms Malfoy’s father had bought. 

“Can’t wait to beat Malfoy in tryouts again,” Jack chuckled, and I could hear him roll over in the darkness. The two of us drifted off, sleep easily overcoming us.

\---

The next morning, Jack woke me by jumping on my bed. I groaned, throwing an extra pillow at him and shoved my face into the other, desperate for another five minutes. 

“We gotta go, we’re using their fireplace to Floo to the cup in thirty minutes,” he said excitedly, leaping onto his bed. I chuckled at his use of “floo” as a verb, sitting up and rubbing my eyes with the heels of my hands. When I finished dragging my hands down my face, I looked up, immediately met with Jack’s bare back. He was turned away from me, shirtless as he rummaged through his bag. 

“I swear, it’s in here somewhere,” he muttered, using both hands to push clothes out of the way. A few moments later, he pulled out a jersey, turning and tossing it to me.

Awkwardly, I cleared my throat and averted my gaze. The jersey landed next to me on the bed, green and white blocks striping vertically, while “IRELAND” was spelled in orange across the chest. Jack slipped out of the room, giving me some privacy while he took a shower. Standing up, I held up the jersey, seeing that it was massive. It must’ve been an extra of Jack’s. Quickly changing out of my pajamas while praying Jack didn’t come back, I slipped the jersey over my head and tucked the end into my jeans. 

The journey to the World Cup was longer than I had imagined it to be. Jack had held my hand while we stepped into the Levski’s fireplace, squeezing it as he threw the powder down. Seconds later, we stumbled out into an unfamiliar room, but Ivan was waiting for us, so I assumed we had made it. We then used a portkey, the three of us using a collapsible dog bowl as one, so Jack could stick it in his pocket.

The trek to the World Cup was by far the worst part of the trip. Jack hadn’t warned me we would be walking so much, so I dragged my feet behind him, begging him to let me jump on his back. Ivan eventually offered, and Jack rolled his eyes as I leapt onto Ivan’s back, my arms wrapping loosely around his neck. 

After what felt like hours of walking, we approached the stadium. I slid off Ivan’s back, staring up as we neared the entrance. Jack had our tickets, so I stayed close to him until we got through the gates. Inside was insane, witches and wizards running around in facepaint, dressed completely in the teams’ colors. I swore I saw the Weasley twins dash by, their orange hair contrasting against the crowd as they whooped and yelled.

Jack, Ivan, and I split off from the adults, walking to the seats. The game hadn’t started yet, but the crowd was already wild, and I could hear it through the temporary staircases in the back of the stadium. I was mostly paying attention to my feet, making sure I wouldn’t trip as I ascended the rickety stairs. Jack and Ivan were laughing in front of me, their two personalities easily meshing with one another. It was obvious how they were friends at Durmstrang, even with the age difference. 

As we turned, about to climb another level, my eyes caught a flash of familiar blonde hair. I stopped suddenly, causing the man behind me to accidentally collide into me, making me stumble a few steps. I mumbled an apology, the man shooting me a glare before he continued up the stairs. My hands gripped the railing, squinting as I tried to make out the blonde. Leaning over just slightly, my hair fell over my shoulders, waving in the gentle breeze.

I saw Malfoy’s father in front of him, his cane hitting the ground rhythmically with every step. I knew better than to call out his name, so I bit my lip. The two of them turned a corner in the queue, which was moving slowly on the bottom floor of the stadium. Malfoy looked tired and almost bored, facing his father’s back. It was odd, he was so passionate about the Bulgarian team and attending the World Cup during spring break. 

His eyes were darting around the line, and then they finally looked up, meeting mine. My stomach flipped as we made eye contact, something that hadn’t happened in months. I watched as his lips parted, his hand wrapping around the metal railing that separated the line. Malfoy quickly glanced at his father’s back, almost as if he was making sure he didn’t see me.

“Olive!” Jack called from up the staircase, waiting for me with Ivan. I shot Malfoy a soft smile, and he uncurled his fingers off the railing in a small wave. Turning, I bounded up the stairs two at a time, catching up with the two boys. 

Honestly, I wasn’t paying attention for most of the game. In the second half, I only cheered when Jack and Ivan were, leaping up with them when Ireland scored. When Ireland won, Jack and Ivan started jumping, yelling in excitement with a few other Ireland fans in the row behind us. The two of them beamed the entire way as we followed the crowd down the staircase. It seemed even more busy than it had before the game, so I clasped onto the back of Jack’s jersey, keeping him close. 

We had just stepped foot outside the stadium, walking through the camping ground. The sheer number of tents was astounding, the white canopies stretching out as far as I could see. Ivan and Jack were still in high spirits, Jack kicking a pinecone along with him as we walked. 

My head snapped upwards when I heard screaming coming from ahead of us, my eyes widening when I saw flames leap into the air. Instinctively, Jack grasped my hand, his other hand grabbing Ivan’s shoulder. 

“Go. Go!” he yelled, pushing us off to the right. We stumbled through the campsites, nearly tripping over every abandoned fire pit and folding chair in our path. As we were running, I glanced over my shoulder seeing people in black robes, masks covering their faces as they marched together. My legs suddenly stopped working, carrying me to a complete stop. There were too many masks, I couldn’t make out any of the designs. I felt my heart beat pick up as my eyes desperately searched the crowd, praying I wouldn’t see the one I had seen in my house. 

“Olive!” Jack called, once he noticed I had stopped. “What are you doing?”

I didn’t answer, my gaze pinned on the Death Eaters that were walking a mere fifteen feet away. They pointed their wands at random tents, setting them into a mess of flames. 

“Olive!” Jack yelled again, this time more forceful. He ran back, wrapping his hand around my wrist before he tugged me harshly. My head snapped back to Ivan, who was waiting for us. His chest was heaving, his eyes looking past us at the fires. 

“Portkey, now!” Ivan demanded, reaching for the dog bowl in Jack’s pocket.

“Your parents, my parents,” Jack breathed out, turning back around to survey the crowd. Fans were screaming, complete chaos throughout the campsite. A family of three ran past us, their young daughter crying. 

“I don’t know where they are,” Ivan said honestly, shooting Jack an exhausted look. His eyes quickly glanced at me, a weary expression behind them. I furrowed my eyebrows, picking up on his suspicion. “Let’s just go, they have their own portkey.”

Jack swallowed thickly, pulling the dog bowl out of his back pocket and popped it open so we could all grab ahold. Squeezing my eyes shut, I grasped onto the silicone tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for updating a bit later than usual!! I had a really hard midterm today so I spent all last night and this morning studying for it.
> 
> But I have an apple crisp in the oven as I’m editing this chapter and I’m so ready to sleep in tomorrow :)
> 
> Also I noticed I had a ton of tense errors in the first few chapters of this, so I had to go back and fix them all lmfao lots of time spent banging my head against my desk :/ absolute pain reading my writing  
> but if anything like that ^^ happens again (and I'm sure it will), please don't hesitate to let me know, just be nice about it hahaha


	23. chapter twenty-two

“Thousands stranded after Death Eaters attack Quidditch World Cup, hundreds of portkeys destroyed in fires,” Aunt Beth read aloud, holding the Daily Prophet up in front of her. Once Aunt Beth had fully moved in, she had started getting the wizarding paper, as opposed to the Muggle one. I paused from eating my cereal, my spoon hovering in midair. 

“You are so lucky Jack had the portkey on him,” she sighed, folding the newspaper and setting it back down. I snuck a glance at the front-page, watching as the picture showed the movement of hundreds of people across the countryside. Seeing the browned grass and exhausted faces, I frowned.

“I know,” I agreed, resting my spoon back in my bowl. The Hogwarts Express was leaving in two days, meaning today was reserved for a Diagon Alley trip. I didn’t need much, just to restock on some supplies. 

Since the Death Eater had broken in, I had been nervous about leaving her alone. She had promised me that she would be okay, and part of me felt better knowing that she actually used magic regularly, unlike my parents. 

With a flick of her wand, Aunt Beth sent her empty bowl and coffee mug to the sink, where they rested gently against the bottom of the basin. 

“I’ll go get ready, and then we can leave, alright?” she said, slipping off the barstool. I nodded, finishing my cereal as she went upstairs. 

An hour later, Aunt Beth and I were walking down the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley. It was bustling with students and parents, queues curving around the corners of shops. Clearly, I wasn’t the only student who saved shopping until the last minute. I breathed a sigh of relief as I followed Aunt Beth into Flourish and Blotts.

“I think I only need some parchment and a couple of quills,” I told her as I began to weave my way around some young students who had to be first-years. 

“I’m going to go look at the books, find me when you’re ready,” she called, shooting me a smile over their heads. I nodded, turning back around and making my way to the side of the store. My eyes swept over the selection of quills, all paired with recommended ink pots. I hadn’t used Malfoy’s quill over the summer, so I still had a fair amount of ink in it. However, I felt weird about expecting him to keep buying them for me, so I thought I should stock up on normal ones. 

My eye caught on the unique white feather near the top of the display, my gaze dropping to the price listed below. Malfoy hadn’t lied about the price, that’s for sure.

“You know, if you’re going to insist on using a normal one, the hawk feather ones are good.”

I turned at the familiar voice, making eye contact with Malfoy. A small smile spread across my face before I could stop it, but his lips turned upwards into one as well. My eyes traveled down his body, taking in the black suit he was wearing. It was odd, seeing him something other than Slytherin robes or the Quidditch uniform.

“Hey,” I said, turning back to the display to find the hawk quills. 

“How was your summer?” he asked, not looking at me. He raised his wand, and three of the white feather quills removed themselves from the shelf and into his waiting palm. I bit my lip, pulling out a few of the hawk quill boxes since they were at eye-level. A small part of me also didn’t want to embarrass myself by performing a failed spell in front of Malfoy. They were fairly cheap, so I figured Aunt Beth would approve.

“Good,” I responded, tucking the boxes into the corner of my elbow as I started to turn towards him.

A cane suddenly swiped down between us, landing on Malfoy’s shoulder. My gaze fell to the head, the fangs of the snake’s mouth looking like they were sinking into Malfoy’s suit jacket. The emerald jewel eyes were a striking color, glinting in the light of the shop. My eyes trailed up the cane, eventually meeting Mr. Malfoy’s.

“Miss Wilkinson, I presume?” he asked, his voice low and controlled. Quickly, I glanced back to Malfoy, who had turned as well. The cane was lifted off his shoulder, and it slipped through Mr. Malfoy’s hand smoothly before the end hit the wooden floor with a loud thump.

Since Malfoy didn’t say anything, I cleared my throat. “Yes, sir.”

“Draco has told me about you,” Mr. Malfoy raised his chin, looking down his nose at me.

“All good things, I hope,” I said, keeping my gaze steady on him. Normally, a statement like that was a joke, but there was no humor in my tone. Malfoy finally spoke, breaking my stare.

“I’m finished, father,” he said as he readjusted the quill boxes in his arms.

“I’ll see you on the train,” I gave Malfoy a small nod, looking back to his father. “It was nice to meet you.”

Mr. Malfoy just barely dipped his head in recognition, and I turned. As I was leaving, I could overhear Malfoy’s father scolding him. 

“Nonsense. You only need two, Draco. Put the third one back.”

Shaking my head, I picked up my pace and crossed the bookstore. Finding Aunt Beth, I pulled her to the registers. The line was incredibly long, weaving through the stands and displays. 

After thirty minutes of waiting, Aunt Beth and I were back on the main street, standing off to the side. A girl from my Transfiguration class last year passed, giving me a small wave when we saw each other.

“I think Standard Ingredient is the only thing left,” I pulled a scrap of parchment out of my back pocket, where I had scribbled down a list. My eyes swept over my writing, mentally checking off the quills and parchment. All of my textbooks could be continued to be used for this year, as I was taking the same electives. Muggle Studies had turned out to be more than a walk in the park. By the end of our third-year, Katie had woken me up countless times when I had fallen asleep out of boredom.

Aunt Beth and I scurried into the apothecary, me going to buy Standard Ingredient while Aunt Beth wandered around the aisles. When we were leaving, I caught a flash of blonde hair, but it was quickly engulfed by the crowd. 

\---

Walking through the brick wall was much easier this year, a smile of anticipation spreading over my face as I walked straight toward it. I let out onto the platform, Aunt Beth moments behind me. Handing Athena and my trunk over took little time, and soon enough, I was already hugging Aunt Beth goodbye.

“Stay safe!” I called, waving above the crowd as I started to walk backwards to the Express. She blew a kiss, smiling at me as she nodded. Turning, I followed the mass of students through the door, immediately scouring the train car for my friends. I could see the back of Blaise’s head, and my smile grew, walking down the aisle.

They had left the door open, making it easy for me to slip in. Jack looked up, scooting over and patting the bench next to him as an invitation for me to sit. Katie and Blaise were snuggled together by the window, Blaise’s arm strewn lazily over her shoulders. 

“It was insane! They just stormed the campground, fireballs were going everywhere,” Jack said as I sat, his hands assisting him in telling the story. Blaise’s eyes were wide, and Katie looked shocked as well. But Jack’s face was excited, like the experience was thrilling rather than terrifying.

As soon as we had taken the portkey out of the campground, Jack immediately took me through the Floo network to Diagon Alley. His excuse was that the further away from the stadium we got, the better. My aunt had picked me up, and Jack travelled back to the Levski’s house alone. A couple days later, he returned with my bag, promising everything was fine.

“Did your parents make it back alright? And the Levski’s?” I questioned, suddenly realizing that I had never asked him that. I already knew the answer to the question, though, I had seen his father on the driver’s side when Jack dropped off my bag. Jack’s hands froze, looking over at me. Swallowing, he paused before nodding.

“Yeah. Yeah, of course they did. Just had a different portkey, you knew that,” he laughed, his hands dropping into his lap. I chuckled, but his response felt fake and forced. 

Blaise started talking about the backpacking trip he took through the French countryside during July, Katie hanging onto every word. I glanced out the train windows, seeing far fewer students on the platform. Parents were waving, wide smiles on their faces as they sent off their children. Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy weren’t here yet, and same for Pansy. I supposed they could be sitting in a different car, but my stomach turned at the thought of Malfoy and Pansy sitting together.

It was like he had heard me, Malfoy suddenly appearing in the doorway of our compartment. The train’s wheels moaned a low squeak, slowly departing the station as Malfoy sat down on the other side of Jack. Crabbe and Goyle followed, sitting alongside Blaise. The door slid shut, closing the seven of us in. I looked back up when it was pulled open moments later, the glass clanging against the doorway.

“There you guys are! Took me forever,” Pansy breathed out, stepping into the compartment and letting the door close loudly behind her. She collapsed down next to me, her breathing a bit labored. It was like she had jumped from car to car, or something.

After being interrupted by the four others, Blaise continued his stories, telling us about a troll that he had seen on a mountain trail. 

“Absolute rubbish,” Malfoy scoffed, not believing Blaise’s story. Blaise rolled his eyes and Katie shot Malfoy a protective glare.

Most of the train ride was filled with talking, Jack eventually falling asleep with his head thrown back against the top of the bench. When the train took a particularly hard right turn, his head slipped off the wood, falling onto my shoulder. I let him sleep for a while, it seemed like he obviously needed it. When the Express arrived in the Hogsmeade station, I pushed him off and he woke with a jolt, inhaling sharply through his nose as his eyes fluttered open. 

This time, Jack and I followed the others, not needing to join Hagrid at the docks. As we approached the carriages, I could see reins shaking in the air, bouncing as though they were connected to an invisible horse. Jogging a few paces, I caught up with Katie, who was walking side-by-side with Blaise.

“What are those for?” I lifted my chin, gesturing to the reins.

“Supposed to be for the threstals, but I don’t know anyone who can see them,” Katie shrugged, frowning.

“You can only see them if you’ve witnessed death,” Blaise added in, leaning his head forward as he walked, so he could see me. 

“Hm,” I hummed, slowing my pace and waiting for Jack. He caught up with me, Malfoy and the others behind him. I bit down on my lip, slightly confused as to why I couldn’t see them.

As dark as it sounded, it must’ve been a “you had to be there” sort of thing.

The group approached the carriages, managing to fit all eight of us inside. I was squished between the door and Jack, our thighs pressed up tightly against one another. As the last one in, Pansy had giggled when she recognized the lack of space and sat down halfway on Malfoy’s lap. Her legs dangled over his, but he made no effort to push her off. 

I averted my gaze, looking out the small window of the carriage as the threstals began walking, pulling us to Hogwarts. 

Ever since my parents had died, I felt like I was on the run for a true home. The house just didn’t seem as warm and welcoming without my mother or father’s presence. As much as I loved Aunt Beth, Hogwarts seemed to be the closest thing I had right now. Tuning out the other’s voices, I leaned forward, my hand resting on the sill of the window. There was no glass, allowing me to crane my neck upwards and look at the approaching castle, the spires reaching high into the sky like they always did.

“Ivan’s coming with Durmstrang, since he’s old enough to put his name into the goblet,” Jack whispered so that only I could hear him. I turned, taking my hand off the sill as I looked at Jack. 

“How did you meet him?” I asked, raising an innocent eyebrow. I had a feeling, deep down, that Jack was hiding something, and I was determined to uncover it. His behavior had been different since the World Cup, but he was damn good at hiding it from the others.

He shrugged, looking past me and out the window. “Quidditch, mainly. I never had any classes with him since we were different years.”

I nodded slowly, resting my hands in my lap. The carriage ride was much shorter than I had expected, the threstrals pulling us to the Hogwarts gates in a matter of minutes. Ducking my head, I jumped out of the carriage, my feet hitting the grass. It was already dark, clouds moving in quickly from the south.

As we walked through the gates and up the cobblestone path, I could see a large ship in the lake. The masts stretched high into the sky, but the sails were drawn shut, ensuring no movement during the coming storm. 

“That’s Durmstrang,” Jack must’ve noticed me looking, his gaze pinned on the ship as well. He watched it for a few seconds, until he accidentally tripped on a loose brick. I laughed, watching as he caught his balance. Blaise poked fun at Jack as well, which caused him to turn around and raise both his middle fingers at Blaise. 

The sorting ceremony felt like it took hours, Dumbledore claiming it was the largest number of first-year students they had seen in years. Still, I clapped and whooped with the rest of the Slytherin table whenever a first-year got sorted with us. 

Exceptionally hungry, I groaned when Dumbledore hushed us after all first-years had been sorted. 

“Now that we’re all settled in and sorted, I’d like to make an announcement.”

I leaned forward, resting my head on my palm as I watched Dumbledore stand at the front of the Great Hall. Without meaning to, my eyes drifted to the ceiling, trying to count the number of floating candles in a certain area. Katie nudged my side with her elbow, causing my gaze to snap down to her. She nodded her head towards the entrance of the Great Hall, and I turned, seeing Filch running down the main aisle.

“This castle will not only be your home this year, but home to some very special guests as well. Hogwarts has been chosen-” Dumbledore started, but was interrupted by Filch approaching him. The two whispered together, Filch pointing to the back of the Great Hall. I turned, but saw the doors were still closed. 

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued his speech, Filch running back between the tables. Jack snorted next to me, not even trying to hide his amusement.

“He runs like he has a wand up his ass,” he chuckled, and Blaise laughed as well. 

“Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event, the Triwizard Tournament. Now, for those of you who do not know, the Triwizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests,” Dumbledore addressed the houses, who all started murmuring at the mention of the tournament. 

“For each school, a single student is selected to compete. Let me be clear, if chosen, you stand alone. And trust me when I say, these contests are not for the faint-hearted,” Dumbledore’s face twisted in a serious one, his eyes sweeping up and down each table. “But more of that later.”

The way Dumbledore had described the tournament had piqued my interest. When Pansy and Katie had talked about it last spring, they had made it seem like the ball was the best part. Hearing about the apparent danger made the contests even more fascinating, even if I wasn’t old enough to put my name in. I bit my lip, my eyes travelling down the table to Flint, who was paying the most attention I had ever seen him muster. 

“For now, please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and their headmistress Madame Maxime!” Dumbledore finished his speech, holding both hands up as the doors swung open. I turned, watching a group of girls parade through the entrance. Their heads were adorned with blue hats, their hair in long curls. 

Merely feet into the Great Hall, they paused, sighing and gesturing to the Hufflepuff table. Before I could stop it, a chuckle pushed past my lips and I immediately brought a hand to my mouth, hoping I could stifle it. It was the most ridiculous thing I had seen in a while, and I mentally cursed at Jack for thinking I went there. 

Jack twisted in his seat, a smile on his face as his shoulders shook with a silent laugh. I had to turn myself away from the aisle as they continued, making repeated stops as they entered, performing the same gesture each time. Closing my eyes, I sucked my lips between my front teeth, trying to think of anything else.

“Tell me when they’re done,” I whispered to Jack, and then bit down hard on my tongue. Glancing up, I saw Malfoy watching the girls, looking just as amused as Jack and I. The wave of blue silk picked up their pace, running down the aisle as butterflies began to swarm around them, flying to the ceiling of the Great Hall. 

Once they bowed in front of the professor’s table, the Great Hall erupted in applause, mostly from the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables. Their headmistress towered over Dumbledore, putting even Hagrid’s height to shame. As the Beauxbaton girls sat at the end of the Ravenclaw table, Dumbledore jumped back up the stairs, addressing the students once more.

“And now, our friends from the north. Please greet the proud sons of Durmstrang and their headmaster Igor Karkaroff,” Dumbledore’s voice boomed through the Great Hall like it always did, and I turned, watching the doors swing open yet again. 

The Durmstrang entrance was much more intense, the boys hitting the ground with what looked like canes, emitting small sparks against the stone. I got a quick glance at circles of soot, Filch’s face falling in disappointment as he noticed them as well. In beat with the canes, the boys began to chant rhythmically. Jack had sat up straighter, his eyes searching the group for Ivan. The chanting subsided once all the boys had entered the hall.

I gasped as the front boy began running, immediately twisting around in my seat so my eyes could follow him down the Great Hall. 

“There! There’s Ivan,” Jack dug his elbow into my side, his finger pointing towards the middle of the group. Squinting, I made out Ivan’s face, where he had bent down with another boy. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he blew against his wand, a fiery snake erupting from the end. It circled around Dumbledore, before it eventually fizzled, embers floating towards the ceiling.

“Dramatic,” I muttered under my breath, Jack chuckling next to me. 

“Just how they do it there,” he shrugged, his eyes surveying the Durmstrang boys again. 

Since the two schools had introduced themselves, Dumbledore allowed the Great Feast to begin. With a wave of his hands, the tables were filled with numerous platters of food, goblets of beverages and small bowls of sweets.

The food was spectacular as usual. For the last month of the summer, both Aunt Beth and I had grown tired of cooking, often calling in takeout or going out. A home-cooked meal was exactly what I needed, though I tried to not think too hard about it being the work of the elves.

Halfway through dinner, Ivan had left the Durmstrang boys, who were sitting at the end of the Slytherin table. Sauntering up the aisle, he paused behind Jack, slapping both his hands down on Jack’s shoulders. Jack looked up, laughing when he saw his old friend. Ivan caught Malfoy’s attention as well, who glanced up from his roasted chicken.

“This is Ivan, guys. A friend from my Durmstrang days,” Jack introduced Ivan to the group, nearly all offering a small wave when Jack called their names. Malfoy had returned his attention to his dinner, pushing roasted carrots around on his plate with his fork. 

“Good to see you again, Olive,” Ivan said politely, smiling down at me. 

“You as well,” I responded, shooting him a small smile before turning and resuming my dinner. As I was reaching for another dinner roll, Pansy spoke quietly, her eyes watching Ivan cautiously. 

“How do you know him?” she asked, leaning across the table. Her hands rested on either side of her ribcage, her elbows pushed back. 

“I went to the World Cup with him and Jack,” I shrugged, grabbing my knife from my plate and beginning to butter the roll. She huffed, pushing herself back. She was sitting between Malfoy and Crabbe, but she didn’t strike up a conversation with them for the rest of dinner. Ivan returned to the Durmstrang boys, waving Jack a goodbye.

The Slytherin prefects allowed the older students to return to the common room first, deciding to instruct the first-years on the door password afterwards. 

A prefect had written down the password for us, instructing Jack to light it on fire afterwards to keep it secure. As the group approached the common room door, Jack pulled the small piece of parchment out of his robe pocket, turning it rightside up.

“Serpent,” he read, and the stone wall began to melt away, exposing the door. I scoffed, grabbing the paper from Jack’s hands. Sure enough, it did say serpent.

“That’s secure,” I retorted as I followed Katie through the door, Jack behind me. I don’t know who decided the passwords, but I assumed having our emblematic animal as the magic word wasn’t the best decision. 

Jack laughed, rolling his eyes as he agreed with me. He crossed the common room and tossed the parchment into the fire, which quickly burned up and gave off a few embers. I followed him, collapsing down on one of the leather couches. Malfoy had been uncharacteristically quiet all night, especially so since the train ride. He leaned up against the back of one of the couches, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames. 

“I’m pretty tired, I’m going to bed,” Blaise excused himself, pressing a quick kiss to Katie’s forehead before he left for the boy’s dormitory. Him and Jack were rooming together this year, along with another fourth-year Slytherin I barely knew. 

A few moments later, the group of first-years barreled through the door, following a prefect. After they instructed the group to the girl’s and boy’s dormitories, the group of first-years began to disperse, eager to meet their roommates. 

A first-year boy had accidentally tripped over the corner of a rug on his way to the boy’s dormitories, running into Malfoy’s back. The boy caught his balance, taking a few steps backwards as Malfoy turned, his robes swirling around him. 

“I’m sorry,” the boy tried to apologize, but Malfoy aggressively shoved his shoulder backwards, causing the boy to stumble. It was unprovoked, and even my mouth opened in shock, watching Malfoy glare at the young boy. I knew Malfoy could be mean, but it was usually shown through his words, he rarely got physical.

“Draco,” Pansy whispered, her hand coming up to rest on his shoulder. Malfoy’s gaze snapped from the terrified boy to her hand, immediately shrugging it off. 

“I’m going to bed,” he muttered, avoiding all of our looks as he pushed past the boy once more. This time, the boy couldn’t regain his balance and fell backwards. His hands did little to break his fall, eventually landing hard on the rug. Malfoy didn’t look back as he disappeared down the hallway, his robes flowing behind him. 

Jack hopped off the couch when the boy didn’t stand, immediately extending his hand and helping the boy up. 

“They didn’t have his favorite dessert at the feast,” Jack offered the boy a small smile, resting a hand on his shoulder as he squeezed it reassuringly. I knew Jack was giving a false excuse for Malfoy’s behavior, but a smile cracked on the boy’s face when he believed it. 

Jack sent the boy off down the hallway, watching him leave before he joined us again. He dropped down next to me, kicking his feet up on the table. 

The day of travel had exhausted all of us, so we called it a night after thirty minutes of catching up. Pansy, Katie, and I walked down the girl’s hallway, eventually leading to the same room we had last year. Deciding to keep the same sleeping arrangements that we had last year, each of us rolled our trunks from the middle of the room to the ends of our beds. 

Shrugging off my robes, I tossed them on my bed before I started to unpack. As I was stowing some sweaters into my dresser, Katie spoke.

“What’s gotten into Malfoy?” she asked, glancing over to Pansy for an explanation. My eyebrows knitted together in confusion for a second, before I realized I had never told Katie anything about Malfoy. She must’ve assumed Pansy would know.

Pansy shrugged, looking up from where she was kneeling by her trunk. Dropping her hands into her lap exasperatedly, she clenched the sweater she was holding tightly. “I dunno.”

“He could just be stressed out about fourth-year. I mean, hosting two other schools while being in harder classes?” I chimed in, throwing my suggestion to the two of them. 

“Yeah, maybe,” Pansy sighed, standing and placing her sweater into a dresser drawer. The three of us finished unpacking before we slipped into bed, easily succumbing to sleep. 

\---

Since there had been unforeseen complications in accommodating the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students last night, Dumbledore and McGonagall had forgotten to send students’ schedules to their dormitories. I was currently sitting with Katie and Pansy at breakfast, the others most likely on their way. Given the delay, Dumbledore had cancelled the first class of the day, allowing time for the delivery of the schedules. 

As I was eating a muffin, I watched the four Head of Houses huddled together at the professor’s table, sorting the schedules by years. Jack was excited to have our first class cancelled, dropping down at the table in exceptionally high spirits. He was trailed by the other boys, Malfoy and Crabbe sitting down across from me. 

Ten minutes later, Snape was walking the length of the Slytherin table, his hand throwing out schedule after schedule. The parchment floated down in front of each student, eagerly snatched to see what classes they had with friends. When I received mine, my eyes skimmed over the time table. Potions first, like last year, followed by Herbology and then lunch. Muggle Studies and Charms finished my day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. 

The change in professor for Dark Arts caught my eye, never hearing of a ‘Moody’ before. When I had heard of Lupin’s resignation last spring, I had become saddened, as with many other students. I didn’t even get the chance to read through my Tuesday and Thursday classes when Jack snatched the parchment out of my hand, his eyes sweeping over it.

“We have the same classes together that we did last year,” Jack sighed, handing the sheet back to me. “Plus Muggle Studies.”

The group immediately started passing our schedules around, seeing who we had classes with. Since we were all Slytherin, most of us had the same core classes together, like Potions, Charms and Transfiguration. I was looking over Malfoy’s schedule, his name scribbled in the upper right corner. I saw that he had Herbology at the same time as me, and I realized that he was the only one, at least in our group. 

Sneaking a glance at him, I was met by his gaze already on me. He looked away first, back down at the schedule he was holding. Biting my lip, I passed Malfoy’s schedule onto Jack, taking Blaise’s from Katie. 

The rest of what would’ve been our first class was spent in the Great Hall, students too lazy to mill about. I was laughing at a joke Jack had made when Dumbledore’s voice boomed through the hall, catching everyone’s attention. He warned us that our second classes were to start in ten minutes, which was met by a collective groan from each table. Sighing, I stood up with Jack, shoving my schedule into my bag. Jack, Blaise, and Katie all had Arithmancy, so the three of them left together once we had walked through the Great Hall’s doors. 

I headed towards the greenhouse alone, tugging my robes tight around my body once I hit the open air. The threatening storm had, in fact, hit Hogwarts last night, the rain lashing loudly at the window all night. The grounds still hung in a damp fog, chills running up and down the hallways. 

“Wilkinson!” I heard Malfoy call from behind me, so I slowed to a stop, turning. He was alone as well, jogging until he caught up with me. 

“Herbology, right?” he asked, readjusting the strap of his bag. I nodded, and we turned, continuing to walk down the hallway. I bit my lip, realizing that he must’ve read over my schedule and had remembered it. 

The two of us entered the greenhouse, Professor Sprout already at the front. She had laid out the numerous plants that we were to learn about this year, and I eyed a plant whose leaves were wiggling like tentacles. 

“Over here,” Malfoy muttered, darting off to the left hand side of the greenhouse. I followed, sitting down on a stool next to him after I dropped my bag on the ground. As the rest of the class filtered in, my eyes swept over the crests on their robes. I sighed as I saw a continuous stream of red, yellow, and blue.

“You’re kidding me,” Malfoy scoffed from beside me, and I guessed he had noticed we were the only Slytherins in the class as well. 

This should be an interesting year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank all of you for not only 6k hits, but also all of the super sweet comments!!! Reading them is a highlight of my day, and I get so excited whenever I get an email that someone commented :) Thank you all for reading this and spending the time to comment and give kudos, I appreciate it so much!! Hope you enjoy this chapter, we're starting to get into the good stuff
> 
> also quick question: would you guys prefer if I started labelling the chapters? instead of numbers? I found that once I hit over twenty, I started getting confused lmao but please let me know what you think!!


	24. chapter twenty-three

“Welcome to your fourth year!” Professor Sprout addressed the class, clapping her hands together in excitement. Malfoy groaned quietly, immediately resting his chin on both of his hands. Rolling my eyes at his response, I sat up straight, turning my attention to Sprout. She walked through each plant, holding them up as she was describing them. 

“We’ll be working closely with Professor Snape this term, he prefers to grow potion ingredients on school grounds, if possible. For example, the rest of September will be spent learning about and extracting the pus of the bubotuber plant,” she explained, raising what looked like a black slug in the air. Scrunching up my nose in disgust, I squinted at the plant, noticing the yellowish-green spores. She continued to walk the class through each month of the class, specifying what plants we would be working with.

“Since we’ll be using it constantly from here on out, I’d like to spend the first week on the Herbivicus Charm. Just to make sure you all really grasp it,” she set down the last plant, the tentacles beginning to wrap around the edge of the table. With a wide smile on her face, she scurried to the other side of the classroom, reaching up for a spellbook in a cabinet.

“Now, I’ve got this spell in my personal spellbook. It won’t be in any of your textbooks, I’m not sure why the author chose not to include it. Of course, I suppose…” I tuned out her rambling as she returned to the front of the room, my eyes darting around the other students. Frowning, I realized I only recognized Longbottom from when Ginny introduced us at a quidditch game last year. 

“Repeat after me, no wands yet. I don’t want this classroom to turn into a jungle,” she chuckled, opening the book and setting the spine flat on the table. I watched the Ravenclaws in front of me pocket their robes, sighing. 

“Herbivicus!” Sprout said, and the class mumbled back a variation of the spell. Malfoy muttered it under his breath, I couldn’t have even been sure he actually said it.

“Once more!” she instructed, circling the table so she was standing in front of it. Her eyes swept around the greenhouse, watching us as we recited it again. After five more minutes of call and answer, she deemed us fit to use it in practice.

“If one student from each table would please take a packet of seeds from the supply closet, the other can come up front and grab a pot of dirt,” Sprout pointed to the back of the greenhouse, and then to the pots on the front table, all lined up perfectly.

“I’ll get the seeds,” Malfoy said, already off the stool before I could even say anything. He darted for the back, leaving me alone at the table. Joining the others at the front, I stood in a small line before I picked up a pot and returned to the table.

Malfoy was already sitting, the torn top of the packet resting on the table. Aggressively shaking the seeds, he poured them into his hand. I placed down the pot, watching him as I sat. Malfoy’s thumb swept over the seeds, a few rolling over. With my fingers, I dug a small divot in the soil, enough for the seeds to be completely covered. Sprinkling the seeds into the soil, Malfoy covered them and brushed off his hands when he finished.

I was just about to raise my wand to cast the spell when a loud crash came from the other side of the room, catching my attention. Longbottom’s plant was resting on the ground, the tiny seeds having grown into a six foot long stalk.

“Very good, Neville! A bit enthusiastic, though,” Sprout called, hurrying over to Longbottom’s desk. Longbottom was frozen in disbelief, his wand still pointed at the spot his pot had been. Malfoy scoffed beside me, muttering an insult under his breath that I couldn’t quite hear.

“Herbivicus!” I called, pointing the tip of my wand at the soil. The seed unraveled into a sprout, a thin stalk erupting out of the dirt. It grew another six inches, before it came to a stop. I shrugged nonchalantly, satisfied that it had worked. 

“This class is pointless,” Malfoy groaned, throwing his wand on the table as he sat back on the stool in a huff. “It’s not like I’ll be taking care of plants once I leave this school.”

“Aren’t you in high spirits today,” I said sarcastically, pocketing my wand in my robes. Malfoy rolled his eyes, but didn’t answer. Sprout gave the class another fifteen minutes to perform the spell, and then dismissed us early as a first-day treat. Malfoy immediately stood, scurrying out of the greenhouse and leaving me to clean up. Sighing, I scribbled our names on a sheet of parchment. Following Sprout’s instructions, I took the pot and parchment to the side of the classrooms, setting the two together. 

As I was returning to the table to grab my bag, I noticed Longbottom was still cleaning up the spilled soil. 

“I can tell you’ve got a knack for herbology, Longbottom,” I said as I passed, causing him to look up with wide eyes. My tone wasn’t mean-spirited, so he gave me a small smile before he busied himself with the broom once more. 

Setting my schoolbag on my shoulder, I made my way to the Great Hall for lunch. I turned around a corner, immediately running into someone.

“Olive!” Ivan said once he realized it was me, his hands finding my shoulders to steady me. 

“Oh! Hi, Ivan,” I smiled, taking a small step back. His hands fell off, but he crossed his arms the second they did.

“Are you going to lunch, by chance? I can’t figure out where the Great Hall is,” he shot me a soft smile, his eyebrow raising. I nodded, beginning to walk and gesturing for him to follow me.

“Hogwarts is much bigger than Durmstrang, I don’t know how you get to class on time,” Ivan cracked a joke, his pace matching mine.

Chuckling, I shook my head. “Just familiarity, I guess.”

I was grateful the walk to the Great Hall was short, it was much harder to keep a conversation going with Ivan than I had expected. In the past, Jack had always been there. Ivan and I entered through the doors, immediately veering off to the left towards the Slytherin table. Jack was already sitting with Blaise and Katie, Malfoy and the others sitting beside them.

Ivan said a quick hello to Jack before he walked further down the table to sit with some of the other Durmstrang students. Dropping down next to Jack, I sighed and let my bag hit the ground after me. 

“Did you hear?” Jack asked, his eyes wide with excitement. As I grabbed an apple, my eyebrows furrowed together, not sure what Jack was referring to. 

“They’re supposed to pick the names out of the Goblet of Fire by the end of the week. Flint already put his in,” Jack explained.

“Are they doing it at dinner?” I asked, cleaning off my apple with the sleeve of my robe. Jack nodded, his mouth full of a turkey sandwich.

“I’m not surprised he did. I swear, he must be like nineteen, he’s been held back so many times,” Katie laughed, leaning over the table. Blaise joined in, and the two of them fell back into their previous conversation. 

Jack’s voice suddenly dropped, like he didn’t want the others to hear. “Flint can’t play on the quidditch team anymore, meaning both his position and captain are open.”

“Are you going to try out for it?” I asked, slightly confused. It had seemed like Jack was one of the best seekers Slytherin had in awhile, but I also assumed that Malfoy was trying out again. 

“I might as well, Malfoy’s father is insisting Malfoy stays seeker,” Jack shrugged, taking a bite out of his sandwich. “I’d rather be a chaser than not on the team.”

I frowned, shooting Jack a sympathetic smile. The rest of lunch went quickly, the group still talking about their summers. Nearly all of us had Muggle Studies together, so we walked to the classroom in pairs. Once inside, I sat down next to Jack, Blaise and Katie behind us. Malfoy and Crabbe chose a table to our right, and Pansy and Goyle sat behind them.

Jack and his family spent most of their time in the wizarding world, but had more exposure to Muggles than Katie’s family did, for example. I zoned out for most of the class, finding the introductory material extremely repetitive and boring. Burbage spent most of the time discussing how the Ministry hid the World Cup stadium from Muggles, which piqued the interest of Jack and several other quidditch fans. 

Flitwick welcomed us to our fourth-year with chocolate frogs and a relaxed class period, mostly just reviewing charms from the end of last year. Ninety minutes later, we were dismissed from his class with no homework assignment. Put into a good mood, I skipped down the stairs with Jack, heading for the common room. 

“Do you think it’s true? What Burbage said about the ministry?” Jack asked as we walked down the steps to the dungeon. 

“The cloaking spell? And all the memory erasing they had to do?” I asked, raising a questioning eyebrow. Jack nodded, his hands clasping onto his schoolbag straps.

“I guess so,” I shrugged. “I mean, they weren’t exactly expecting a Death Eater attack.” Jack stayed quiet, his upper teeth gnawing on his bottom lip. It was a weak connection, but I could tell it was Jack’s way of bringing up what happened at the World Cup. Knowing something was bothering him, I sighed and pulled him off into the shadows of the dungeons. We came to a stop in a small corner, out of sight of the staircase and the door to the Slytherin common room.

“What happened to your parents that night, Jack?” I asked, my tone serious. His behavior had been different, and I wanted to know why.

“What do you mean?” he threw a question back at me, and I rolled my eyes. 

“You said they got out okay, but you’ve been acting strange,” I crossed my arms over my chest, my right eyebrow raising in suspicion. 

“You calling me a liar?” Jack scoffed, suddenly getting defensive. Not swayed by his change in demeanor, I shot him a look.

“Jack,” I said simply, and he sighed, his facade finally crumbling.

“All they said was that they got tortured by some Death Eater,” he looked away, sucking his lips between his teeth. Taking a shaky breath, his eyes flicked back to me. “Apparently, they got separated from the Levski’s in the chaos, and some Death Eater got them alone, and performed the cruciatus curse on both of them. Just for the hell of it.”

My eyes widened in shock, not understanding why Jack didn’t tell me this.

“Are they okay?” I asked quietly, my hand resting on his forearm. Jack’s eyes darted down to my hand, before back up to my face. 

“Why do you think my father didn’t get out of the car, Olive? Both his knees were bent so far inwards during the curse, the caps shattered. He couldn’t walk for days,” Jack suddenly snapped, and a small gasp left my lips. 

“Look, I’m sorry to hear that, but you can’t just bark at me, Jack. You and I both know I don’t deserve that,” I said calmly, removing my hand off Jack’s arm. 

Closing his eyes, Jack let out a tired sigh. “I know, I’m sorry,” his hands covered his face, before he dragged them down. I bit my lip, suddenly taking in the bags under his eyes and the sullenness in his irises. Without saying anything, I wrapped my arms around him, pushing myself up onto the balls of my feet so I could reach around his shoulders. His face dropped into the crook of my neck, his arms coming to wrap around my waist. We stayed like that for a few moments, Jack’s breathing eventually slowing.

My arms slipped from around his neck, coming to rest on his cheeks. “Are you okay?” I searched his face, my eyebrows knitting together in worry. “And don’t lie to me, I’ll know.” I slapped his shoulder lightly.

“Get that crease outta here,” Jack chuckled, but it was tinged with sadness. His hand reached up, his thumb wiping away the crease that had formed between my eyebrows. “Don’t worry about me, alright? I think I’m just stressed since all my old friends and headmaster are here. It’s bringing back all the bad memories.”

I sighed, a weak exhale leaving my nose. “You can’t say that and expect me not to worry.”

“I’ll be fine,” Jack reassured me, leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss to the top of my head. I froze, not expecting that. 

“Now, come on. I wanna beat you at Wizard’s Chess at least three times before dinner,” he teased, taking a step out of the shadowy corner. Rolling my eyes, I followed him and the two of us walked toward the door.

\---

It was Wednesday afternoon, two days before the names were to be pulled out of the Goblet of Fire. There was a rumor going around that Flint and Warrington, another seventh-year, were the only Slytherins who had put their names in. Part of me was surprised, having expected more students to enter. I supposed Dumbledore’s warning at the Great Feast had deterred the student's previous opinions.

The goblet had been placed in an adjacent room to the Great Hall until it was to be moved for tomorrow night’s drawing. It was mostly used by students for studying, especially if the library was too quiet. Currently, I was in the back corner with Jack, laying on my stomach as I flipped through the potions textbook. Snape had promised this year’s content would be grueling and demanding, which he excused as preparatory material for the O.W.L.’s next year. 

I looked up when I heard yelling and whooping coming from the other side of the room, seeing the Weasley twins running in, a vial of something held high above their heads. The Gryffindors sitting by the goblet stood up, clapping and shouting in excitement. It caught Jack’s attention as well, who looked up from his textbook. I watched as the twins downed the vials, but nothing happened. They turned towards the age line that encircled the goblet, the room falling silent. Jack sat up, his attention now fully captured.

The twins looked at each other before they jumped over the line, all four feet planted firmly on the ground. The white line wavered, but eventually stopped. The crowd of students erupted in cheers again, urging the boys on. Both of them slipped their names into the goblet, which took the sheets of parchment. Another silence fell over the room, everyone waiting for the goblet’s response. I knew both of the twins were underage, so I was surprised that they had even tried.

Not a moment later, the goblet spat out the two pieces of paper, and sent the twins flying backwards. Their bodies arched over the crowd, a collective gasp rumbling through the room. When they landed, white hair immediately grew over their red locks, adorned with long beards. 

Jack laughed beside me, watching the two of them get into a squabble. Chuckling, I shook my head as they rolled around on the stone, their white beards almost as long as Dumbledore’s. I could always rely on the twins for a good laugh.

The next morning, I had my first Dark Arts class of the year. For some reason, Tuesday’s class was cancelled, something about the professor not being at Hogwarts yet. As with most of the core classes, the Slytherin group had it at the same time, so we left the common room together. When we entered, the new professor was standing at the front of the room, his back to the class. 

“I miss Lupin,” I sighed, dropping down in a seat halfway between the first and last rows. Katie sat down next to me, Blaise and Jack deciding to sit next to each other in front of us.

“Me too,” Katie agreed, hanging her bag over the back of her chair. Pulling out her Dark Arts textbook, she set it on the desk and I did the same. We fell into a small conversation, mostly talking about who had put their names into the goblet.

“I heard Cedric did,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back in the chair. “I think he’s the only Hufflepuff who did, most of the entries were from Gryffindor.”

I was about to answer when the professor whirled around, facing the class. A small gasp left my lips when I saw his eye, or lack thereof. A uniquely fitted band wrapped around his head, a magical eye sporadically darting around the class. Katie stiffened next to me, sitting up straight as the professor leaned against the table, his hands resting on either side of him. The class was silent for a few moments, waiting for him to speak.

The professor pushed himself off the table, clasping his hands behind his back. “Alastor Moody. Ex-Auror. Ministry malcontent. And your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.”

Moody paused, scribbled his name on the chalkboard and turned around again. “I’m here because Dumbledore asked me, end of story, goodbye, the end.”

Katie looked over me, her eyes filled with confusion. I frowned and shook my head, confused as well. He seemed intense and impatient, incredibly contrasting to Lupin’s demeanor. His face didn’t move, but the eye darted around the class, making direct contact with every student. I squirmed under the gaze, feeling more intimidated than I’d like to be. The class was dead silent, all students facing forward with their attention on Moody.

“When it comes to the dark arts, I believe in a practical approach,” his good eye lit up, like he was excited for what was to come. “First, which of you can tell me how many Unforgivable Curses there are?”

Jack snuck a quick glance back at Katie and I, the same look of absolute confusion on his face as well. 

“Three, sir,” I heard Granger answer, and my gaze flicked to her. She could be annoying, but at least her answering every question took the other students off the hook. 

“And they’re so named?” Moody asked, returning to the chalkboard and hastily scribbling something I couldn’t read, his body blocking it.

“Because they are unforgivable,” Granger continued, and I rolled my eyes. “The use of any one of them-”

“Will earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban,” Moody finished, gritting his teeth and stepping away from the board. My eyes flicked behind him, where I saw the world ‘unforgivable’ on the board. Katie nudged me, her eyes wide. 

“There’s no way he could be teaching us this,” she whispered, leaning towards me to try and prevent the carry of her voice. I bent my head down and nodded, agreeing with her.

“This man’s insane,” I muttered, and Katie gave a small chuckle. 

“If Miss Wilkinson and Miss Jones can stop talking, we can continue the lesson,” I heard Moody snap, and I glanced up, only to be met with his back. Confused, I watched him turn around, the eye rolling back into place. Katie and I muttered apologies, and Malfoy and Crabbe snickered from the other table.

Moody continued his rant about the Ministry’s recommendations, his tone getting more and more enraged. “So, which curse shall we see first?” His gaze darted around the room, looking for a victim.

“Zabini!” he nearly yelled, and Blaise jumped, sitting up straight. Katie whimpered beside me, but I didn’t dare look over. “Stand.”

Blaise hesitantly stood, rounding the table so he stood in the aisleway. Moody walked down to meet him, staring down at Blaise. “Give us a curse.”

Clearing his throat, Blaise brought a fist to his mouth. The class was silent, all students facing the two of them as Blaise racked his mind for a curse. 

“I’ve heard of one, Professor. The Cruciatus curse,” Blaise said, finally raising his gaze so it was level with Moody’s. I saw Jack’s spine stiffen, and he turned to face the desk. 

Moody returned to the front of the classroom, allowing Blaise to slip back into his seat. Jack leaned over and whispered something to him, and Blaise shrugged. My gaze flicked from them to Moody, who was uncovering a large spider-looking animal from a glass jar. Even in my second year, I still couldn’t believe what some magical creatures looked like. I squinted my eyes, trying to make out what it was when Moody enlarged it, the thing doubling in size. It crawled around Moody’s outstretched palm, and he looked back to the class.

“Before I show you the Cruciatus curse, I’ll cast another first,” he announced, raising his wand and pointing it at the spider.

“Imperio,” he said almost calmly, the spider immediately giving way to any independent control. Moody raised the spider out of his hand, dropping it on some Gryffindors’ desk, who were sitting in the front row. I could hear the high-pitched squeal, and I winced, scrunching my nose up.

Moody moved it to Crabbe’s forehead, where it crawled up onto the crown of his head. Katie and I snickered, watching Crabbe desperately claw at his face, trying to get the spider off. I looked over next to him, seeing a smirk on Malfoy’s face as well. The smirk turned into laughter, the sound mixing in with the other student’s. 

“Don’t worry, completely harmless,” Moody assured us, but he noticed Malfoy’s laughter. “What’re you laughing at?” He snapped his wrist, sending the spider directly onto Malfoy’s face. If it was possible, Katie and I started giggling even harder, my hand covering my mouth in a weak effort to keep it quiet. 

Moody’s eye must’ve noticed Katie and I as well, as he sent the spider our way, landing it on our desk. Katie screamed, shoving her textbook away from her. She grabbed my robes before I could even react, pulling me in front of her. Jack and Blaise turned around, both their arms resting along the backs of their chairs as they mocked our screams. In a dramatic reenactment, Blaise pulled Jack in front of him, his face contorted into fake horror.

However, everyone’s laughter died with Moody’s next words.

“What shall I have her do next? Jump out the window? Drown herself?”

Moody’s tone dropped, suddenly very serious compared to the laughter that was filling the classroom moments earlier. He dangled the spider above a pail of water, all eight legs frantically searching for firm ground. 

“Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only did You-Know-Who’s bidding under the influence of the Imperius curse. But here’s the rub,” he paused for a moment, bringing the spider back to his hand. “How do we sort out the liars?”

I bit my lip, immediately thinking of my parents. Whoever had killed them, were they under the influence of the curse, or were there people just that malicious out there? Goddamn, I wanted Lupin back.

“Now, I’ll show you all the Cruciatus curse, as Zabini mentioned,” Moody continued, causing my gaze to snap upwards. “Also known as the torture curse.”

Setting the spider down on the front table, Moody stood behind it so we could get a good view. 

“Crucio!” Moody yelled, with much more intent than he had for the Imperius curse. Immediately, the spider’s legs started buckling, its pincers raising upwards in a weak attempt to resist the curse. It squealed, the sound of its pain echoing around the quiet classroom. In front of me, Jack turned his head to the side and I saw his shoulders rise in a deep breath. Moody continued to torture the spider for a few more moments, and Jack suddenly stood up, his chair screeching across the ground. He rushed out of class, his head bowed toward the stone floor. 

Blaise turned, watching him leave, as did Malfoy and Crabbe. A small smirk washed over Malfoy’s face, and I wanted nothing more than to punch it into the back of his throat. 

At the movement, Moody broke the curse, the spider relaxing on the table. I stood, not caring if Moody would reprimand me, or take house points away. Moody’s eye just caught the door closing, Jack already in the hallway. Turning, I walked briskly out of the classroom, avoiding eye contact with the students I passed.

“Jack?” I called the second the door closed behind me, searching the hallway. When I found him, he was breathing heavily, his hands grasping the stone railing of a staircase. His back was to me, his robes thrown on the ground beside him. 

Quietly, I approached him, placing a hesitant hand on his back.

“There’s no way that lunatic can be teaching this shit,” Jack swore, one hand leaving the railing so he could throw it up in the air in a small protest.

I didn’t know what to say, so I began to rub his back in an effort to calm him down. “I’m so sorry.” I couldn’t imagine what was going through Jack’s head, but I tried to be as empathetic as I could.

Pushing himself off the railing, Jack turned around and placed his hands on his head, interlocking his fingers. 

“Does that man not realize that some students could’ve seen those curses performed in real life? Outside of a stupid-ass classroom?” Jack snapped, his voice echoing through the empty hallway. He only swore like this when he was either extremely angry or frustrated, and I was guessing it was the former.

“Have you seen those curses performed?” I asked quietly, a bit confused.

“What?” Jack spun around to face me, his hands dropping to his sides. “No. No, of course not. I just meant that - with my parents, this summer - you know what I mean.” His sentences began breaking into fragments as his breathing picked up again. His hand flew to his hair, raking through the strands roughly. 

“Here, sit,” I offered, gesturing to the top stair. He swallowed thickly but nodded, coming to sit with me. We sat in silence for nearly ten minutes, allowing Jack’s heartbeat to return to normal. When it had, he stood and picked up his robes. Shrugging it on, he looked over at me, where I was brushing off the back of my robes from sitting on the dusty stairs.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, offering me a small smile. I nodded, shrugging my shoulders as if it was no big deal. 

“You’re my friend, Jack,” I gently reminded him, shoving at his shoulder as I neared him. “Let’s go, I don’t want to get detention my first day.”

The two of us entered the classroom, walking down the aisle and sitting down at our seats. Moody had moved on to another topic, and students had begun taking notes on sheets of parchment.

“He killed the thing,” Katie whispered, leaning over to me. “Kedavra’d it right in front of us.” My eyes went wide, matching her shocked expression. Warily, I eyed Moody’s back, where he was scribbling something on the chalkboard. 

The rest of class was much less eventful than the beginning of the period, but I think most students appreciated it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also omg y’alls comments are so fun to read hahaha they really motivate me to keep writing and I get really excited knowing others are enjoying what I’m putting out there :) also I swear that I won’t just be repeating the fourth book word for word, but I thought Moody’s class was fairly important lmao
> 
> Also also ugh I have part of the Yule Ball chapter written, and I just can’t wAIT until we get to that point
> 
> Total side note I am exhausted today lmao I hate Mondays all I want is a peppermint mocha I can’t wait until starbucks starts having christmas drinks


	25. chapter twenty-four

Fourth-year Potions was much harder than I had expected it to be. Over the summer, I let my mind forget everything I had learned in those late night study sessions, or when Malfoy was actually willing to help me understand. On a lazy Friday morning, I strolled into the classroom with Jack, the two of us laughing from a joke he had just made.

What I wasn’t anticipating was a class full of students, who had all turned at our entrance. Snape was standing at the front, his hands clasped behind his back. He shot us an annoyed look, his eyes quickly darting over to an empty table. It was near the back, opposite Malfoy and Blaise. Snape must’ve opted for a different seating arrangement this year.

“Miss Wilkinson, Mr. Simmons. Glad you could join us,” Snape said, but the normally warm greeting was cold and harsh. Scurrying to the empty table, I snuck a glance at the clock, which read five minutes before nine. Malfoy was laughing under his breath, a small smile on Blaise’s face as his eyes watched Jack sit down. I dropped down next to Jack, immediately taking out my textbook.

“No review this year,” he started, and a few of the students groaned, causing his gaze to snap towards them. Clearing his throat, Snape continued, his eyes sweeping over the class. “We’ll start the Wit-Sharpening potion today.”

He gave a few more announcements, mostly talking about the importance of this potion in the O.W.L.’s, urging us to pay high attention as we brewed it. With a twirl of his robes, he sat back down and dismissed us to begin making the potion.

“We got off on a good foot,” Jack muttered as he stood, offering himself to visit the supply closet. I raised my eyebrows in agreement, scoffing as I pushed myself off the stool as well. Jack left for the ingredients, and I rounded the table, making my way towards the back shelves. Immediately, Malfoy stepped in front of me, a smirk on his face. 

I stopped, groaning in annoyance. My eyes trailed up his chest, coming to meet his. Maybe I just didn’t notice at Diagon Alley, but he must’ve grown a couple inches this summer, his chin now level with my forehead. 

“Move, Malfoy,” I sighed, not wanting to be put into Snape’s crosshairs again. Stepping to the right, he mirrored me, blocking my path once more. 

“Why’d Simmons run out like that yesterday?” he asked, a small smile pulling on his lips. 

“None of your concern,” I answered, shrugging. I wasn’t about to tell Malfoy what had happened to his parents, it wasn’t my place. Malfoy clucked his tongue, shaking his head. He rested his palm on the edge of his table, his fingers curling around. I glanced over at Blaise’s seat, but found it to be empty. Inhaling a deep breath, I tilted my head as I looked back at Malfoy.

“You know I would never tell anyone,” his free hand raised to his chest, drawing an ‘X’ over his heart. He pouted his lip out, but the motion was sarcastic as it was quickly replaced by his signature smirk.

“Like I’d believe that big mouth of yours, Malfoy,” Scoffing, a bitter laugh followed. Malfoy’s eyebrows wavered for just a second, until he drew them together, glaring at me. “That’s all you are, anyways. Talk.”

I knew my words had a mean spirit to them, but I wasn’t about to let Malfoy insult Jack when he wasn’t here to defend himself. Malfoy’s mouth finally closed in a firm line, his grip tightening around the edge of the table. Taking the opportunity, I pushed past him, my shoulder knocking hard against his upper arm. Not looking back, I walked to the cauldrons. I mentally cursed at Snape when I saw he had rearranged him, my cauldron not being in the same spot I left it in last spring. Leaning forward, I placed my hands on the counter and squinted, looking for the ‘W’.

“If you’d use your brain for once, you’d see your cauldron is on the bottom shelf,” Malfoy suddenly said over my shoulder, his voice extremely low. I jumped, flinching away from his words. Malfoy chuckled, reaching around my shoulder, his fingers grasping the handle of his cauldron. As he leaned forward, his chest rested against my shoulder blades for a few moments, and my heartbeat quickened more than I wanted it to. Biting my lip, I watched him remove the cauldron, the metal swinging back and forth as he brought it to his side. 

He turned, leaving me alone. Rolling my eyes, I stepped back, my gaze falling to the bottom shelf. Sure enough, my cauldron was resting on the wood, my last name facing outwards. I took a deep breath before I turned around, praying that everyone else had busied themselves with their potions. No one was looking at me, so I guessed they didn’t see. 

I passed Blaise’s side of the table, avoiding eye contact with him and Malfoy.

“Took you long enough,” Jack teased, looking up from where he was shredding the ginger root. I muttered an apology, resting my cauldron on the metal stand and lighting the fire with a flick of the gas switch. Snape only trusted his seventh-years to use their wands to start a flame, too skeptical of younger students’ magical skills. Honestly, I’d put money on Crabbe to be the one to set Hogwarts on fire, so I guess I understood Snape’s reasoning.

Jack sprinkled the shredded ginger into the cauldron, and then reached for the jar of Scarab beetles and handed it to me. He asked me to grind them, so I did willingly, not wanting to even touch the armadillo bile. As I was rotating the pestle against the beetles, Jack opened the jar of bile. He looked at it, twirling the jar around between his fingers. Hesitantly, he brought it up to his nose, taking a sniff before gagging violently. The jar slipped from his hand, tipping over on the table. Quickly, he righted the jar and due to the slow-moving velocity of the bile, only a few drops gathered on the wood. 

But a few drops was enough to smell, and fast. The second the stench hit my nose, I gagged as well, dropping the pestle into the mortar and abandoning what I was doing. 

“Why would-” I gagged again, closing my eyes. “You smell it.” It wasn’t a question, and I raised the back of my hand to my nose, hoping to close off my nostrils. The smell must’ve travelled to the other side of the table, as Blaise dry-heaved. Stepping away from the table, I looked back at him, where he had drawn his jumper over his nose, and shot me a questioning look. I rolled my eyes, nodding towards Jack, who was screwing the lid back onto the jar. 

“Forget to take a shower, Simmons?” Malfoy taunted, covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve. Jack ignored the insult, which surprised me. Before Snape could walk over, Jack had wiped the bile away with a towel and the smell eventually dissipated into the air. 

After Jack threw the towel into the sink, he returned to the table and poured the proper amount into the cauldron. For the rest of the class, I kept my nose covered with my sleeve, holding my breath whenever Jack opened the jar again. 

The spilling of the armadillo bile had completely wiped my memory of having Herbology with Malfoy. When the clock tower struck, the class filtered out of the room, most of us immediately heading towards the dungeon staircase. I skipped along with Jack, until he reminded me that he was leaving for Arithmancy with Blaise. Waving them a goodbye, I bowed my head and hurried towards the greenhouse. Malfoy had been behind us when we left Potions, so I was hoping he had hung back far enough.

“Might wanna get your boyfriend some new cologne. His new stuff smells a bit like vomit,” Malfoy’s voice called from behind me for the second time today, and I groaned, whirling around and starting to walk backwards. He was a few feet behind me, his saunter allowing his robes to flow open. I continued to walk backwards, my gaze set on him. 

“You, of all people, would know that Jack and I aren’t dating,” I scoffed, my hands coming up to rest on the straps of my bag. 

“Is that so? There’s a rumor going around Simmons is asking you to the ball,” Malfoy retorted, his longer legs beginning to catch up with mine. 

“Malfoy-” I started, but his hand reached out, grabbing my shoulder and spinning me around. Before I could even blink, he tugged me towards the middle of the hallway, his pace never slowing. His hand dropped once I was walking straight again, returning to the crook between his bag and its strap. Looking over my shoulder, I saw that I had narrowly missed a stone pillar, one that oddly struck through the middle of the hallway. 

“Good thing you’re not on the team, you can’t even walk straight,” he smirked, but his gaze was fixed forward. I rolled my eyes, shaking my head as I picked up my pace to match his. Surprisingly, there weren’t many other students in this wing of the school.

“I was walking backwards,” I countered, shooting an excuse out. He didn’t answer, so the rest of the quick walk to the greenhouse was silent. I bit my lip, realizing I never answered his question about Jack asking me to the ball. The greenhouse was mostly full when we arrived, Longbottom pushing wooden stakes into his pot to try and keep the stalk from falling over. 

Malfoy and I walked to our table, but Malfoy took the aisle seat for some reason. Shrugging it off, I sat down near the window, resting my bag on the ground. 

“It’s so damn humid in here,” Malfoy muttered under his breath, shrugging off his robes and draping them over the back of his chair. 

“Good morning, everyone!” Sprout addressed the class, standing at the front of the room. “I’ll start today with some announcements, and then we’ll be working with the same plant you grew on Monday morning, alright?” A few students mumbled back some variation of ‘okay’, but most just nodded. 

Sprout began talking, introducing a partner project. We were to nurture the plant we potted on Monday, take observations and eventually microscopic samples. In two week’s time, a completed lab report should be on her desk at the beginning of class. She released the students, and I volunteered myself to grab our pot from the side of the classroom. I slipped behind Malfoy’s chair, waiting in the small queue of students. After the Hufflepuff in front of me received her pot, she turned and her eyes immediately fell on my tie. Glancing up at me nervously, she darted off the right, leaving me confused. Sighing, I ignored it and picked up Malfoy and I’s pot, returning to the table. 

“So, are you going with Simmons?” Malfoy asked as I approached, avoiding my gaze. He pushed his textbook out of the way, making room for me to set down the pot. I rounded the back of his chair, dropping down in mine. 

“Uh, I guess so,” I shrugged, flipping my textbook open. “Aren’t you and Miss Pansy Pug going? It’s all she’s been talking about for ages, it would be nice if you could shut her up.” I wished my heart didn’t twist at the thought of them going together, but it did.

A small chuckle escaped Malfoy’s lips, but he kept his focus on the plant. “Believe me, she’s been bothering me about it too.” His hands rested on either side of the pot, beginning to turn it in the saucer.

My finger swept down the contents table, finding the section on flutterby bushes. The plant was still in an immature phase, but from how the book described it, I was excited to watch it grow into maturity. Flipping to page sixty-four, I rested the book on the table and leaned back in the chair. 

“You didn’t answer the question,” I smirked, crossing my arms over my chest. Malfoy finally raised his gaze, meeting mine. Clearing his throat, he shrugged, his fingers still grazing over the terracotta pot.

“I mean, I guess so. As much as I don’t wanna go to the ball, I’m not going alone,” he scoffed, the tip of his right forefinger pressing against the top of the soil, as if he was checking if it had been watered. I raised an eyebrow, watching his finger.

“My mother keeps a garden. I hate plants, but she makes me help out with them, sometimes.” Almost immediately after his explanation, he retracted his hand, wiping off the excess soil on his pants. 

“Careful, don’t soil your pants,” I laughed, even though the joke was painfully bad.

A small smile washed over Malfoy’s face, but returned his attention back to his textbook. “Good one.”

I didn’t respond, his comment about his mother circulating in my head instead. It was somewhat sweet that he assisted his mother in the garden. It was something that I would’ve never expected him to do, but part of me assumed there was a lot Malfoy hid from others.

Clearing my throat in an effort to snap my mind back into reality, I hunched over my textbook, skimming over the text. Sprout didn’t assign us much work today, mostly just reviewing the background of the flutterby plant. She rounded off the class with a suggestion to visit the library, and let us know of a few books that could be helpful as we worked through the project. The rest of the class went by with barely any banter between Malfoy and I, but the silence was alright. 

\---

That night, Dumbledore had announced the names for the tournament before dinner was served. The goblet had chosen Delacour for Beauxbatons, both Cedric and Potter for Hogwarts, and, surprisingly, Ivan for Durmstrang. When Ivan’s name was called, Jack twisted around in his seat, giving me a worried look. I shrugged, continuing to clap with the rest of the students. Honestly, I was more confused as to how two Hogwarts students were chosen, but Jack was hell-bent on being concerned about Ivan.

I guess I could understand Jack being worried about a friend, but from how he had made Durmstrang out to be, it seemed like the school raised hard-ass students. Since Jack had mentioned the bad memories he held from his time at Durmstrang, it always hung around in the back of my mind. As the applause ceased, I snuck a glance at Jack, a crease digging deep between his furrowed eyebrows. 

Dumbledore released the students for dinner, immediately taking Potter off to the side. I looked back to the table, deciding on what I wanted to eat. As I was reaching for a bowl of mashed potatoes, Jack was fiddling with his thumbs, and I knew something was off. That boy would eat the entire table’s food, if he could. 

I set the bowl back down, my hand resting on Jack’s elbow. He looked over at the contact, his eyes still clouded with uneasiness. “Are you okay?” I whispered, leaning towards him. Malfoy was sitting from across us, and I hoped he couldn’t overhear.

“Can I talk to you?” he mumbled, his eyes darting past me and towards the Great Hall’s entrance. The two of us stood, catching Katie’s attention. She shot me a confused look, and I shook my head. 

“We’ll be right back,” I reassured her, squeezing her shoulder before I followed Jack out of the Great Hall. Not an instant after we stepped foot through the entrance, he spun around.

“That was not supposed to happen,” he breathed out, beginning to pace back and forth. It was unsettling to see him like this, usually he was so free-spirited and easy-going. I reached for his arm, dragging him further down the hallway. Mrs. Norris walked by, her eyes watching us as she passed. Shooting a frown at the cat, I returned my attention to Jack.

“What? Potter and Diggory?” I asked. That’s what I was hung up on, and I’m sure many of the other students were as well.

“No, no. Krum was supposed to get chosen, all the Durmstrang boys were supposed to put his name in,” Jack’s hand reached into his hair, his fingers grasping a few strands of hair.

“Maybe Ivan put his name in-” I started to suggest, but Jack cut me off with a loud scoff. 

“He wouldn’t do that. He knows how dangerous the tournament is,” he rushed out, like his brain was working faster than his mouth. “Someone must be framing him, or something.”

I sighed, biting my lip. “I don’t know what to tell you Jack, I’m sorry.”

“I know,” he let out a huff of air, his eyes darting around the hallway. The noise from the Great Hall could still be heard, students’ voices carrying outside.

Frowning, I picked up on something Jack said. “How did they all put Krum’s name in? Wouldn’t the goblet have recognized that?” I questioned, and Jack’s gaze snapped back to me. 

Rolling his eyes in defeat, he shrugged and his hands dropped down to his sides. “I dunno. Probably some dark magic shit, Karkaroff’s a Death Eater.” 

I blinked a few times, registering what Karkaroff was. I swear, I had never heard of Death Eaters six months ago, and now it felt like I knew tons. 

“What do we have here?” Malfoy’s voice rang out through the hallway, echoing between the stone walls. He sauntered up to Jack and I, but his focus was only on Jack.

“Not the time, Malfoy,” Jack warned, his breathing picking up again. My eyes darted between them, mentally begging Malfoy to not make any rash decisions. Same went for Jack.

“Taken a knack to fleeing rooms, I see,” Malfoy taunted, earning himself a glare from Jack. 

“Watch your mouth,” Jack spat, taking a few steps towards Malfoy. “Or do you want another checkup from Pomfrey?” I watched as his fists clenched, and Malfoy’s lips twisted into a scowl. Shaking my head, I rolled my eyes and took a step back. I wasn’t dealing with this right now. 

“Make sure you clean up the blood,” I snapped, shooting a glare at both of them before I turned, walking back into the Great Hall. Stalking directly to the Slytherin table, I dropped down next to Katie with a huff. She turned at the movement, and I plastered a fake smile onto my face. Moments later, Malfoy sat down across from me, catching my eye for a quick second. A few minutes later, a much more calmed-down Jack slipped in beside me, his normal smile on his face. More curious than anything, I glanced at his knuckles, which were completely intact. At least they hadn’t beat each other up again.

The two of them were fighting like peacocks this year, much more than they had last spring. With Jack’s uncharacteristic behavior, and Malfoy’s, well, normal behavior, the two were clashing every second they got. I sighed and sliced through my chicken, hoping they wouldn’t push each other off their brooms tomorrow during tryouts.

\---

Since tryouts fell on a Saturday morning this year, Katie and I decided to watch. September was still holding onto the summer weather, the skies blue and the air warm. Jack and the others were already at breakfast when her and I woke, sleeping in from a long week. 

Thirty minutes later, Katie and I were walking down to the quidditch field, a few other Slytherins sitting along the sidelines. As we approached, I shielded the sun from my eyes with my hand, looking for the team. The boys who held a position last year wore their quidditch uniform, making the newcomers stick out.

Katie and I passed another group of Slytherin boys, finally sitting on a patch of grass. Pucey was the acting captain, taking over for Flint as he assembled the boys, walking them through tryouts. 

“Hey,” I heard Blaise say, approaching the two of us. He dropped down next to Katie, leaning back on his hands as his eyes swept the field.

“Not trying out?” I asked, looking over at him. He shook his head, mumbling something about next year. Glancing back to the field, I saw Jack, leaning against his broom as he listened. There were ten boys gathered around Pucey, meaning four were to be cut by the end of the day.

Leaning forward onto my knees, I started picking at the grass as I watched the group disperse. Jack and Malfoy kicked up into the air, soon followed by Pucey, Crabbe and Goyle. The five of them began circling, slowly picking up their pace until their robes were flying wildly behind them in flashes of green. The rest of the boys joined, the newcomers staying lower to the ground. Malfoy started to pull high into the sky, and then dip down quickly, clearly showing off. Pucey and Jack pulled away, hovering as they watched the others. Jack pointed a few times, and Pucey shrugged.

Ten minutes later, Pucey had regathered the group. Jack and Malfoy left the field for the locker rooms, coming back out with the case of balls moments later. They didn’t look at one another, so I assumed Pucey had asked them both, rather than the two doing it willingly.

Pucey started a scrimmage, cutting the number of chasers down to two, and beaters to one in order for the teams to be even. Both teams hovered, and I rolled my eyes when I saw Jack and Malfoy on opposing teams, most likely both Seekers. Pucey threw up the quaffle first, followed by the release of the bludgers and snitch. He watched the team from the sideline, sometimes pushing off to get a better view.

The scrimmage got off to a quick start, last year’s players already overshadowing the newcomers. Crabbe whacked a bludger towards a third-year, nearly knocking him off his broom when he didn’t see it coming. 

Pucey called off tryouts two scrimmages later, having seen enough to form the team roster. The boys touched back down, Crabbe and Goyle wrestling the bludgers back into the case. Katie, Blaise, and I were too far away to hear Pucey, but the reactions of the boys made it clear who was chosen. A wide grin washed over Malfoy’s face, his wrist wringing around the handle of his broom excitedly as he listened to the rest of the roster.

All of the newcomers left with their heads hung, slowly trudging back into the locker room. Jack must’ve seen us during tryouts, as he jogged over the second Pucey dismissed the team.

“What’d you get?” I asked when he neared, knowing he would’ve gotten a position. Standing up, Katie and Blaise followed and Jack leaned on his broom, sighing. 

“I’m a chaser with Montague, Warrington’s one too,” I remembered the name from the talk about the goblet. Jack was still a bit out of breath, taking a deep inhale before continuing. “Crabbe and Goyle stayed as beaters, Pucey’s still keeper and Malfoy “made” seeker.” When he mentioned Malfoy, his fingers hooked into the air, causing Blaise to chuckle.

“Who’s captain?” Katie jumped in, her eyes darting over Jack’s shoulder to see Malfoy sauntering towards us, his broom in one hand. 

“I am,” he smirked, and Jack turned, stepping to the side to let Malfoy join the circle. I groaned inwardly, having thought for sure the captain would’ve been one of the older boys, like Pucey or Warrington.

“How much was that worth? An extra set of broomsticks?” I scoffed, holding Malfoy’s gaze. His face faltered slightly, and his grip on the handle of his broom tightened. 

“Some of us are just natural-born leaders, Wilkinson,” he retorted, his eyes flicking to Jack. Jack rolled his eyes, picking his broom up off the ground and holding it beside him.

“I need to take a shower,” he excused himself, giving me a final nod before he turned, pushing past Malfoy and stalking to the locker rooms. Even Malfoy was at a loss for words, I think he had expected Jack to get riled up, like he usually did. A moment later, Malfoy followed him, the two eventually disappearing between the wooden doors. 

Blaise, Katie, and I returned to the grounds, the two of them breaking off to the Great Hall for a late lunch. I walked back to the common room alone, immediately heading for the dormitory. Pansy was out, so I assumed she must’ve been at the library, or at the Great Hall. Sighing, I collapsed on my bed, staring straight at the ceiling. I wanted to get the herbology project done sooner rather than later, but that meant I would have to find Malfoy first. Opting for a quick nap, I closed my eyes and quickly fell asleep, the events of this week still wearing me out.

\---

I woke up at seven, which was much later than I had wanted. Swearing under my breath, I sat up, seeing that Pansy and Katie were still gone, probably at dinner by now. I slid out of bed, leaving my robes on the top of my trunk. For some reason, Hogwarts was hotter than normal this time of year, even the dungeons weren’t as frigid as they normally were. I grabbed my bag, hanging it over my shoulder as I dashed out of the room and down the hallway. When I entered the common room, my gaze immediately fell on Malfoy, who was sitting on one of the leather couches reading through a textbook.

“Where’s everyone else?” I asked, causing him to look up. Closing the textbook, he stood and tucked it under his arm as he reached for his bag.

“Dinner,” he answered, slipping the leather strap over his shoulder. “Do you want to do the herbology project now, or are you hungry? I didn’t see you at breakfast.”

My face flushed before I could stop it. Something about the way he had noticed my absence made my stomach flip, but I couldn’t say I hated the feeling. 

“Uh, library’s fine. Just not super hungry today,” I shrugged, and he nodded. The two of us left the common room, walking towards the library. We passed a few other Slytherins on their way back from dinner, who gave us quick nods of acknowledgement.

When we entered the library, it was mostly empty, not many students willingly doing work on the first Saturday night of the year. Choosing a table towards the back, Malfoy and I sat down on opposite sides, him immediately kicking his feet up onto the chair beside him. I pulled out my herbology textbook, flipping to the chapter on flutterby bushes.

“You know, once this thing actually grows, it’ll be awfully pretty,” I said, holding my book up and showing Malfoy a picture. He glanced over, his eyes sweeping over the caption of the figure.

“Does that say it smells like ‘home’?” he laughed, his eyes narrowing as he read through the brief description of the smells the plant emitted. I shrugged, laying my book back down on the table. 

“I’ll go find the book on pruning,” I offered, standing up. Malfoy nodded, returning his attention to the sheet of parchment he had been writing on.The library was loads hotter than the Slytherin dormitories, so I slipped off the gray V-neck jumper I had been wearing, leaving only my white button-up and tie on underneath. Hanging it over the back of the chair, I left the table, heading towards the numerous rows of bookshelves. 

Ten minutes later, I was still walking up and down each row, my eyes flickering over each label. It seemed like I was trying to find a needle in a haystack, and I couldn’t even be sure another student hadn’t taken it already. I was on fifteenth row, sighing in defeat. 

“Found it,” Malfoy said from the end of the aisle, and my head snapped up. Sure enough, the book was in his right hand. “It was in row two, you breezed right over it.”

Groaning, I walked down the rest of the aisle, snatching the book from his hand and taking a look at the cover. “Of course.” 

Malfoy chuckled, but he followed me back to the table and the two of us sat down. I offered to take notes on pruning, while he started an outline of the essay portion of the project. We fell into a steady rhythm, a comfortable silence falling between us as we worked. Fifteen minutes passed, and I was nearly done with the first section of pruning.

“Thank Merlin we don’t have to turn that in,” Malfoy teased, his head gesturing towards my parchment. Glancing down, I finally realized the large splotches of ink, and missing parts of letters when my quill had scratched over them. 

“Oh, shut up,” I retorted, but it was weak. My fingers clasped around the end of the hawk quill, the ink already having dripped down my palm. 

“Honestly, just take this,” Malfoy plucked the brown feather from my grasp, handing me his white one. “We both know you can only write legibly with that.”

I rolled my eyes but took the quill from him gently. Since the year had started, I had forced myself to write with the hawk quill, determined I would learn how to use one. Clearly, I still had a way to go. Malfoy reached for the ink pot, dragging it across the table to him. Without another word, or even glance, he continued the outline. I watched as his fingers nimbly bounced back and forth between the pot and the parchment, never once making a mistake.

“Did you hear?” he asked moments later, his gaze still on the textbook. I shook my head, but once I realized he couldn’t see, I spoke.

“No, what?” I asked, setting the quill down. The ink had dried on my palm, which made it so it wasn’t spreading anymore. 

“Blaise asked Katie to the ball at dinner,” he shrugged, still not raising his gaze. 

“Seems a bit early,” I commented, leaning back in the chair. Katie had told me it wasn’t until Christmas-time, but I guess Blaise wanted dibs on her first. Of course, it wasn’t like any other Slytherin would’ve asked her, everyone knew the two were dating. 

“It is,” Malfoy scoffed, but the noise wasn’t angry, more surprised. 

“Better get to asking Pansy, you never know if Pucey’ll give it another shot,” I joked, reaching for the white feather and twirling it between my fingers. He muttered back an answer, so low I could barely hear it.

“Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe lots of Malfoy x Olive in this chapter
> 
> Also, I’ve got testing all day today, tomorrow, and the day after, so I’m not totally sure if I’ll be able to write a chapter for tomorrow/the day after. But, a chapter on Friday will for sure be there!


	26. not a chapter (i'm so sorry) + I'll delete this later

hey guys!! so I'm still thinking about the Yule Ball chapter (which I'm hoping to make absolutely fantastic but we'll see how that goes) bUT anyways I have a question for you guys 

would you guys prefer to have a split POV between Olive and Malfoy for the chapter? so basically it'll get told by each of them? obviously a lotta dialogue is going to overlap and might be annoying, but I'll try my best to focus more on internal thoughts/actions

just thought I'd ask, I'm definitely planning on this to be a longer chapter than usual (especially if I do two POV's of it)


	27. chapter twenty-five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for 8k hits!! somehow I got over 1k during the two days I didn’t update, which is crazy lolol welcome new readers!!!

“You cannot be serious,” I scoffed, staring at Jack in disbelief as my mouth fell open in shock. We were walking back to the common room after dinner, happily stuffed with soup and cornbread. It was a Thursday evening and the fall weather was starting to finally settle over the grounds. The Whomping Willow had finally lost her leaves, indicating the turn of the season. 

“It’s what I heard,” he shrugged, his hand clasping the strap of his bookbag that hung off one shoulder. He raised his hand in a wave towards Montague, who was passing us on his way to a late dinner.

“Snape?” I reiterated, finally closing my mouth and looking straight ahead. A few other Slytherins passed us, and I uncurled my fingers from my schoolbag straps in a quick greeting. 

“Yeah, I guess each head of house is teaching their students. So, Snape is teaching us the dances for the ball. Supposed to be sometime in November,” Jack responded as we approached the dungeon staircase, the two of us skipping down the steps together.

“I never wanna see Snape dance,” I snorted, shaking my head as I imagined it. In class, he seemed to either move extremely quickly or slowly, and I simply couldn’t picture him dancing. And definitely not to a rhythm.

It was nearly two weeks after quidditch tryouts, nearing the end of September. The first task of the tournament had yet to happen, but there was plenty of speculation bouncing between the walls of Hogwarts. At dinner, I had overheard a Ravenclaw claiming it was something to do with trolls. 

As soon as Jack and I entered the common room, Malfoy shot off one of the couches, a worried look on his face. I came to a stop once inside, raising a suspicious eyebrow as Malfoy walked over. 

“Crabbe set the herbology project on fire,” he rushed out, and Jack laughed beside me. I shot him a look, whacking him on the chest with the back of my hand. He tried to cover his laughter with a cough, bringing his fist up to his mouth in an effort to hide his grin.

“You’re joking, right?” I sighed, furrowing my eyebrows in defeat. Malfoy and I had spent hours laboring over the project, as the microscopic samples had taken longer than we had expected them to. Malfoy gave a helpless shrug, and he looked just as exhausted as I felt. 

“He said he thought it was extra parchment, and he didn’t even use his wand. The dimwit used a goddamn match,” Malfoy scoffed, shaking his head. 

Groaning, I threw my head back and stared at the ceiling of the common room. The domed ceiling towered intimidatingly back over me, the light from the chandeliers’ candles reflecting off the stone. Lowering my gaze back to Malfoy and Jack, I shrugged nonchalantly, pouting my bottom lip out. 

“I’m gonna kill him.” I said simply, like it was no big deal.

Jack snickered, his eyes darting over to the entrance to the boy’s wing. I turned, seeing Crabbe walking out, his gaze pinned to the ground. Clearing my throat, I caught his attention and he looked up, his eyes immediately widening. Malfoy was standing behind me, shooting a glare at Crabbe, but I’m sure mine was harder. 

“I already said I’m so-” he tried, but I dropped my bag on the ground, the sound echoing around the room. The three sixth-years who were sitting at the table looked over, curious as to what was happening.

“You’re gonna pay, Crabbe,” I started at him, my hand subconsciously brushing over the pocket I kept my robe in. His lips parted in fear as his eyes dropped down to my pockets, suddenly realizing I had my wand at the ready. Beginning to scramble towards the common room door, I chased after him, just barely clearing the edge of the couch. 

I could hear Jack’s laugh behind me as my fingers clasped around my wand, pointing the tip at Crabbe as he tripped over the corner of a rug. He lost his balance, and a second later, he was on his back staring up at me with wide eyes.

Keeping the tip of my wand pointed at him, I smirked. “Didn’t your mum ever tell you not to play with fire?” 

“Wilkinson, I told Malfoy I’m so-” he started again, rolling his eyes as he began to stand up. I cut him off, flicking my wrist as I cast a spell at him.

“Cantis!” I called, and Crabbe immediately broke out into song. Malfoy joined in Jack's laughter, the sixth-years snickering as well. 

“Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,” Crabbe bellowed, his voice incredibly out of tune. I pocketed my wand, chuckling under my breath as I turned and walked back to my bag. Jack held his hand up as I passed him, and I slapped his palm with mine. As I picked it up, Crabbe was still singing the song from the Great Feast. The spell would hold until he sang the whole song a few times.

“I think we have some work to do,” I said to Malfoy, adjusting the strap on my shoulder. Jack was still laughing, his hand resting over his stomach as his nose scrunched up in pure joy. Crabbe hadn’t even gotten the chance to fully stand, so he was singing on his knees, the song sounding more and more like a ballad as he went on. Dumbledore never specified any pace or rhythm, which was why the song was absolutely horrendous to listen to every September.

A smirk was on Malfoy’s face as he reached for his bag, shouldering it as well. I patted Jack’s back as I passed, waving him a goodbye since Crabbe’s voice was too loud to talk over. Pushing the door open, I saw Snape passing by, most likely returning to his office. At the sound of Crabbe’s singing, his head snapped towards the common room and his eyes narrowed at me. Malfoy came up behind me, confused as to why I had stopped in the doorway.

“Just do your best, we’ll do the rest,” Crabbe’s voice rang through the air, entering the dungeons’ hallway.

Snape’s eyebrow raised and he tilted his head, staring at the two of us. I bit my lip, suddenly wishing Crabbe would stop, as entertaining as it was. “He’s just,” I paused, trying to think of a believable reason. “Um, he’s-”

“Trying out for the choir, professor,” Malfoy finished, giving Snape a nod. Without a word, Snape raised his gaze, looking down his nose at the two of us. Offering him a measly smile, I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. I hadn’t expected Malfoy to lie for me, I was certain he would’ve put the blame on me.

“He’s extremely tone-deaf,” Snape stated and with a single head nod, he continued to walk further into the dungeons. I nearly choked at his comment, and I heard Malfoy snicker behind me, turning his face away so Snape wouldn’t see. Stepping into the hallway, I let Malfoy close the door behind us. As we headed to the staircase, Crabbe’s voice became fainter and eventually, it was hidden by the walls of stone. 

“That’s, unironically, his favorite song,” Malfoy scoffed as we climbed the stairs, letting out onto the main floor of Hogwarts. “He mumbles it all the time, and he’s got the voice of a house-elf.”

I chuckled under my breath, rolling my eyes. The two of us walked down the hallway leading to the greenhouse, and I pulled the door open as we neared. Slipping in first, I held it for Malfoy. 

“He burned everything?” I reiterated, the annoyance towards Crabbe suddenly rising in me again. Malfoy nodded, frowning as he threw his bag onto a table. 

“Everything,” he confirmed, already walking towards the side of the room where students keep their plants. Sighing, my bag followed Malfoy’s second later. I headed for the microscopes that Sprout kept at the back, already knowing what we needed to repeat for the project.

“I can do the notes on pruning again, could you do the life cycle?” I asked, holding the microscope against my stomach protectively as I waddled back to the table, the equipment heavy. Malfoy nodded, already prodding the soil with his fingers. In two weeks, we had repotted the flutterby bush three times, and it was nearing the need for an even bigger pot. Given the right conditions and a little magic, the plant grew like a bamboo stalk. 

I quickly busied myself with scribbling down notes on pruning, hunching over the desk as I did so. Malfoy and I shouldn’t be here too long, as we had technically already done the project once. Twenty minutes later, my eyes scanned over the sheet of parchment, ensuring my sentences made sense. Malfoy had drawn the life cycle, the diagrams surprisingly intricate and well-detailed. 

“Nice work,” I complimented, eyeing the smooth and consistent lines he had sketched. He glanced up, shooting me a tiny smile. Twirling his quill between his fingers, I noticed it was my hawk feather one, the brown feather a sharp contrast from the white he normally used. 

“Easy even with a dreadful quill,” he smirked, causing me to roll my eyes. I started to work on the essay, as I had remembered most of what I had previously written from Malfoy’s outline. Thirty minutes had gone by and the sun had set, casting the beginnings of a dark sky over the glass ceiling of the greenhouse. Deciding to take a break, I leaned back in the chair and shook my hand out. Even with Malfoy’s nice quill, my hand tended to cramp when I wrote too aggressively.

My eyes swept over the dark blue sky, squinting to try and make out the few stars that were beginning to shine. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Malfoy toss his quill on the table, his head tilting back to look out the ceiling with me. He must’ve noticed my squinting, as he reached for his wand, and a flick later, the candles illuminating the greenhouse went out. The two of us were thrown into a complete darkness.

Curious, I glanced over, but his gaze remained on the sky. Since the glass wasn’t reflecting the candlelight anymore, I could easily see the small dots of stars, more and more beginning to splatter across the sky. 

“I swear you know more spells than what Flitwick actually teaches us,” I said suspiciously, but my tone was laced with teasing. Malfoy chuckled, but didn’t say anything in response. A few minutes passed, new stars poking through the sky each second.

“I’d much rather see these than the ones in the Great Hall,” he murmured, interlocking his fingers over his stomach as he leaned further back. The stool was wiggling on two feet, but the back of Malfoy’s head was resting securely on the table behind him. I craned my neck back, holding onto the edge of the table just in case. 

“You can see the ones in the hall on a cloudy night, though,” I pointed out, my eyes finding the North Star. 

“Yeah, but Dumbledore messes up the constellations,” Malfoy shrugged, his mouth parting slightly as he searched the sky. “It’s always Lacerta directly next to Perseus, but Cassiopeia should be in between them.”

Bewildered, I sat up, looking over at him. I could just barely make him out in the dark lighting, but I could see the slightest hint of a smile on his lips. “Malfoy, a star-gazer? Never would’ve guessed,” I teased, and Malfoy rolled his head to the left, looking at me. The tiny smile stayed, the corner of his mouth barely pulled upwards. Feeling my heart skip a beat, I bit my lip, waiting for his response.

“I only like stars because I’m up there,” he said simply, returning his attention to the sky. Raising an eyebrow, I followed his gaze, but there was no way we were looking at the same star. It was impossible, given my lack of knowledge of the skies.

I paused for a moment, confused. “What?” I mumbled, my question sounding more ignorant than I wanted it to. 

“There’s a constellation named Draco,” Malfoy responded, and I was certain his eyes were tracing over it. “Can’t say the same for Olive.”

I could hear the smirk through his voice, but I wasn’t irritated. The fact that he had actually said my first name, even if it wasn’t directed at me, had made my stomach flip. I swallowed thickly as I tried to think of a comeback. “Always egotistical, hm, Malfoy?”

Malfoy smirked, but we sat in silence for a few more minutes, just the two of us looking at the stars. I searched for constellations I recognized, like Orion’s Belt or either one of the dippers, but I had no luck.

Malfoy’s right forefinger began to tap against the curve between the knuckles of his left middle and forefinger, the soft noise just barely audible. “Wilkinson?”

I had laid my head back on the same table as Malfoy, though on the other end. Turning my head to the right, I looked at him. 

“Yeah?”

“Would you-” he started, but was interrupted by the candles being lit. I winced, immediately sitting up straight and squinting, my eyes quickly becoming sensitive to the light. Malfoy shot up as well, nearly closing his eyes as he let them readjust. 

“What are you two doing in here?” Sprout asked, bustling down the middle of the greenhouse. Her gaze landed on our work, which was scattered around the table, some parchment stacked haphazardly on the corner. Quickly, I glanced at the clock above the door, which read just past ten o’clock.

“We needed to finish the project,” I answered, though it was a bit of a lie. Blinking a few times, my eyes finally recovered and I could look at her without squinting. 

“You both know how much I hate procrastination,” she scolded, now turning to Malfoy for a further explanation. 

“At least we’re doing it, professor,” he rubbed his left eye as he spoke, his hands finally resting on his lap. His tone was a bit snippy, and I frowned as I realized he had returned to the typical Malfoy.

“We’re almost done, I promise,” I shot her a sympathetic smile, hoping to indirectly apologize for Malfoy’s comment. She nodded, her gaze falling on our flutterby bush, which looked rather happy since Malfoy had watered it.

“It seems one of you knows how to do it already, but please put out the candles before you leave,” she sighed, giving in. I thanked her before she walked to the front of the classroom, gathering her robes before leaving the greenhouse. She must’ve lived in the South Tower, where the first-year Herbology classroom was. 

I waited until the door had closed after her before I turned to Malfoy, raising an eyebrow. “What were you going to ask?”

“Just if you wanted me to take the microscope samples again, since I did them last time,” he answered, but he didn’t look at me. Rather, he busied himself with focusing the microscope, like he had already decided he was going to take the samples. 

“Uh, yeah. That’s fine,” I said, shaking my head as I reached for the numerous sheets of parchment. The samples were the only component of the project left, so I began to order the parchment. In a matter of moments, the only sounds in the greenhouse were the quiet squirming of the mandrakes, and the shuffling of parchment. 

I was punching holes through the top left corner of each sheet when Malfoy finished, suddenly leaving the table to return the microscope. His sudden change in behavior was a bit confusing, but I kept myself from asking him about it. Biting my lip, I tied a string through the holes, hoping they would stay together. 

“You take it with you,” Malfoy muttered under his breath, referring to the project. Internally, I chuckled, planning to protect the parchment with my life until class tomorrow. I nodded, tucking the bundle neatly into my bag. The two of us walked back to the common room silently, not wanting to bother any of the paintings or get found by Filch.

\---

It was foolish to believe the summer weather would stay as long as it did last year. A week later, snow was predicted at the same time as the first Slytherin versus Gryffindor quidditch match. Jack had said his parents believed the snow to just be a freak occurrence, that an unusual weather pattern was passing through Scotland. 

But, the game had remained scheduled, the snow not proving to be an immediate threat. Like she had last year, Katie had made Pansy braid her hair, claiming that it got frizzy when it got wet. After I begged her, Pansy braided my hair as well, making it easy to tuck into my robes. The three of us layered our clothing, ensuring we would stay warm for the entirety of the match.

Although promised to be brief, the incoming snow storm had set the dungeons in the typical chill, a frigid breeze running up and down the hallways. Most of the Slytherin team had gathered in the common room when we entered, about to leave for the pre-match warm up practice. I chuckled when I saw Jack’s goggles plastered to his forehead, his hands already gloved. 

“What?” he asked, looking down at me as I approached. Tugging the hat further down past my ears, I eyed his goggles and a smile formed on my lips as well.

“You look like Trelawney with those goggles,” I joked, and Jack’s hands flew to his forehead, his fingers resting over the lenses. 

“Oh, yeah? You better hope I don’t fall off and die when I can’t see because you think they look stupid,” he teased back, causing me to laugh. Blaise had entered the common room as well, immediately crossing to sit with Katie and Pansy.

“We need to be at the field in five,” Malfoy announced as he entered from the boy’s wing, his broom gripped tightly in his hand. The team immediately quieted, turning to their captain. His goggles were around his neck, dangling above his collarbones. 

“Good luck,” I told Jack before he left with the team, flicking the lenses of his goggles as he was turning. He laughed, catching Malfoy’s attention as Jack playfully caught the kiss I jokingly blew him, smacking his hand on his cheek. I missed it, but Malfoy’s eyes narrowed as he glanced between the two of us. Turning on his heel, Malfoy stalked out of the room, pushing past Warrington.

Once the team had left, the remaining four of us walked to the Great Hall for a quick breakfast. I walked alongside Pansy, who had started yapping about how cute Malfoy looked in his quidditch robes. I plastered a fake smile onto my face as I half-heartedly listened, but I honestly wanted to drive my wand between my eyes into my brain.

“I think he’s so much cuter as captain. It’s, like, the authority, you know?” she giggled, reaching up and twirling a strand of hair around her finger as we walked. 

“Montague is pretty cute,” I shrugged, not wanting to give her the satisfaction that I agreed with her. “You could always move onto him, since quidditch boys seem to be your type.” Trying my hardest to not let a real smile sneak onto my face, I dug my nails into my palm and stared straight ahead.

Pansy scoffed in offense, obviously a bit hurt from my statement. I grinned inwardly, continuing to ignore her glare as we followed Blaise and Katie into the hall. 

“Olive!” Ivan’s voice rang out through the air, and my gaze landed on where he was waving at us. He was sitting at the end of the Slytherin table with a few other Durmstrang students, all of them dressed in warm jackets and matching hats. I assumed they were going to the match as well, especially with Krum as the Bulgarian national team’s seeker. 

“Hey, Ivan,” I smiled back, waving the others over with me. The four of us sat on one side of the Durmstrang boys, Blaise sitting between one of them and Katie. I reached for a piece of toast, not bothering to butter it as I began to nibble on it.

“This is Pansy, by the way. I think you two would get on great,” I introduced the two of them, immediately standing. “I’m going to go to the restroom before the match, but you two start talking!” 

It was a bit overly enthusiastic, but I didn’t care as my back was facing them moments later. Simply put, I just wanted to be away from Pansy for a second. Since Pucey had broken up with her, Malfoy was back to being the only thing on her mind. Leaving the Great Hall, I entered the girl’s restroom on the ground floor, shoving the rest of the toast into my mouth. I stayed in the restroom for another few minutes, leaning up against the sink with my arms crossed.

Taking a quick glance at my watch, I figured I should return, so I pushed myself off the sink and left the restroom. The Great Hall was still buzzing with students’ voices, even more so than usual with the inclusion of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. I gave a quick nod and smile to a passing Beauxbatons girl as I walked back to the hall’s entrance, my eyes immediately falling on my group of friends. They were all laughing, the Durmstrang boys as well. 

Katie looked up as I approached, standing and pulling Blaise up with her. “We were just about to leave, I thought you ditched.”

Chuckling, I shook my head, reassuring her I had just been in the restroom. The group left the hall and headed for the quidditch field, Ivan and Pansy still talking. I walked alongside Blaise and Katie, but my mind was elsewhere, tuning their conversation out. 

Fifteen minutes later, we were in one of the Slytherin stands, bunched together like a can of sardines. I was shoved between Katie and Pansy, standing in the front row of seats. The snow had just barely begun to fall, gentle flakes drifting down from the sky.

Lee introduced both teams as usual, paying special attention to new players and positions. Pansy screamed loudly when Malfoy was announced, his blonde hair darting into the sky as he flew out from the locker rooms. 

The game was intense, both the increasing snowfall and closeness of points adding to the stress of the students. Thirty minutes in, Slytherin was behind by sixty points. Blaise was frowning constantly, yelling out like Malfoy could hear him whenever Gryffindor got an advantage. Katie was trying to soothe him, her hands rubbing up and down his inner arm as she clutched onto him. The looming gray clouds had descended, dumping more and more snow as each minute passed. 

Malfoy was hovering high above the ground, consistently wiping his goggles with the sleeve of his robes. Since Jack was now a chaser, he was yelling back and forth with Warrington and Montague, the three of them trying to structure plays on the fly. The snowfall had dramatically increased, I could barely see the goals on the other side of the field. It seemed to be teetering on the edge of too dangerous to play, but Hooch hadn’t blown her whistle yet. 

The Slytherin stands jumped up in harmony when Malfoy suddenly dipped, heading straight for the ground. I stood up as well, but I lost him in the now-blizzard. Frowning, I looked over to Blaise, but his eyes were trained on Pucey, who was flying back and forth in front of the Slytherin goals. I’m not even sure how he saw it, but he spun quickly, sending a quaffle flying back the way it came. It disappeared into the white nothingness, and I winced, hoping Hooch would call off the game soon. There was no way the teams could continue playing if they couldn’t even see each other.

A moment later, a collective gasp erupted from the Gryffindor stands. My eyebrows furrowed together in worry, not being able to see what happened. Finally, I heard Hooch’s whistle blow twice, ending the game. The Slytherin stands groaned, but students eventually began to evacuate. 

“What happened?” I asked Blaise, hoping he could see something that I couldn’t. He shrugged, his eyes sweeping over the field. I did the same, and my heart dropped when I only saw five Slytherin boys hovering around the goalposts. None of them were Malfoy or Jack.

Feeling my heart drop, I pushed past a couple first-years, ignoring their yelps as I rushed down the wooden stairs. Once I was on the grass, visibility was a bit better, and I squinted, shielding my eyes from the snowflakes with my hands. Beginning to cross the field, the vision of Malfoy standing became clearer, and I could see Hooch knelt down next to someone. 

I picked up my pace, my heart pounding at the thought of Jack being injured. So focused on the player on the ground, I didn’t even notice Jack standing until he raised his arm, causing me to run into it. Blinking, I was brought to a halt and I looked up, meeting Jack’s gaze. I sighed in relief, pulling my hat down further on my head. Jack’s hair was completely soaked, as were his robes. 

“Malfoy accidentally ran into the Gryffindor keeper,” he shook his head, looking over at where Malfoy was overseeing Hooch’s assistance. “We couldn’t two feet in front of us up there, I’m surprised it took Hooch that long to call off the match.”

I nodded slowly, my heart rate slowly returning to normal. “I thought you did fall off and die,” I sighed, reaching out and weakly punching Jack in the shoulder. Since he had stopped moving, his teeth began chattering and I saw his shoulders shaking. 

“Let’s get you back to the common room, you must be freezing,” I said, taking one glance at Malfoy, who hadn’t noticed us yet. He was leaning on his broom, his head tilted as he watched Hooch begin to bend the Gryffindor’s right leg. Jack and I disappeared into the white flurry, and I tugged my robes tighter around my body as we walked. We ended up taking a shortcut through the locker room, but I kept my gaze pinned to the ground as I passed through. 

Thirty minutes later, Jack and I were sitting on the couch in the common room with the others, the fire giving us the warmth we desperately needed during the match. We had all changed into dry clothing and were watching Blaise and Katie duel it out in a card game. Malfoy still hadn’t returned, I assumed that Hooch was giving him a stern talking-to, especially as he was now the captain.

“You are such a cheat,” Katie whined, throwing her leftover cards at Blaise. He laughed, looking around the group for his next opponent. Pansy offered to play, and her and Katie exchanged places. Someone had gotten a bag of popcorn from the kitchen, which was being passed around as we all shared. 

Jack laid his arm along the top of the couch, resting behind my head. It caught my attention, and I looked over to him. The others were immersed in their own conversations, Katie trying to sneak glances at Blaise’s cards to help Pansy win.

“How was chaser?” I asked, a slight frown on my lips. The second tryouts had ended, I could tell Jack wasn’t fond of not being seeker.

He shrugged, his index finger tracing circles on the back of the leather couch. “Wasn’t too bad. I’m getting on well with Warrington and Montague, and at least I’m not the one getting chewed out by Hooch.” Jack chuckled, but the sound was emptier than normal. I felt bad for him, I really did. With what his parents had gone through, and the constant, living reminder of his time at Durmstrang, the last thing he needed was to be removed from the quidditch position he was best at. Hesitantly, I scooted towards him, laying my head on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry this year has been absolute shit,” I sighed, feeling his arm lift off the couch and wrap around my shoulders. He rubbed my upper arm, giving it a squeeze before returning his arm to the couch. It was a friendly gesture, nothing more.

“You know how much I trust you, right, Olive?” he said, and I raised my head at the rather personal statement. My eyes glanced over to the others, but their attention was still stolen by the intense game happening between Blaise and Pansy. Part of me was surprised that Jack had said something so serious, especially given where we were in that moment.

“Of course,” I smiled, and Jack’s face was still for a moment, until he grinned back. I was about to say something else, but the common room door flung open, a dripping wet and angry Malfoy standing in the doorway. 

Jack’s head turned, but his arm stayed put behind me. As Malfoy walked further into the room, I felt Jack’s arm drop around my shoulders once more, squeezing my shoulder comfortingly. 

“What did Hooch say?” he asked, but Malfoy’s gaze was transfixed on Jack’s hand. I bent my neck forward so I could see around Jack, and that seemed to break Malfoy out of his trance. 

“I’m suspended for the next two matches, so we’ll have to get Flint to take over chaser again,” Malfoy grumbled, shrugging off his damp quidditch robes. His goggles hung around his neck like they had earlier, but the lenses were still foggy with condensation. “You’re seeker until I’m back on the team.” Malfoy didn’t say anything else, avoiding my gaze as he turned and disappeared down the boy’s wing.

With that, Jack raised his arm from around me, punching the air in excitement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jesus h christ i feel like i’ve been dragged backwards through hell after this week  
> Also the first tiktok i saw this morning was a goyle thirst edit and it ended with him dying lmfao


	28. chapter twenty-six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of y’all are about to hate me, but it must be done you’ll see

I was having a horrible day.

It had started with waking up from a nightmare about my parents. Since Lupin’s class, the nightmare had now included me nestled between them, my eyes glazed over and my mouth just barely opened. The dream didn’t happen very often, but when it did, it tore the hole in my heart just a bit bigger. I could go a couple days without thinking about my parents, either getting distracted by academics or feeling genuinely happy with my friends. With every day it was getting better, but I was bound to have a bad one every once in a while.

At breakfast, Aunt Beth had sent a letter in the morning mail, which temporarily made me feel better. I was calming down until Blaise accidentally knocked over my goblet of hot chocolate when he was reaching for an orange. The goblet teetered, eventually spilling the liquid all over my lap. Groaning, I had stormed out of the Great Hall, pushing between Malfoy and Crabbe as they were entering.

“She’s bloody mental,” I heard Crabbe mutter under his breath, stumbling backwards as my hand pushed his shoulder. He had been keeping his distance from me since our confrontation in the common room. I didn’t have the energy to muster a glare, so I ignored his comment.

And to top it off, changing my clothes had made me late to potions. Which, by the way, wasn’t going as well as my third-year had. Snape hadn’t been joking when he promised a harder course load, and I found myself slipping not even two months into the term.

Securing my tie, I ran down the hallway in the dungeons, approaching the potions classroom. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the door was open, the only silver lining of the day I had seen so far. Fixing the collar of my robes, I slinked along the back of the classroom, trying to draw as little attention as possible. 

Thankfully, Blaise had brought my bag from the Great Hall. I had been so frustrated that I had completely forgotten it, not noticing until I was in the dormitory. It was sitting on the table next to Jack, a muffin wrapped in a napkin beside it. 

Snape’s eyes flicked to me as I approached my table, but he didn’t pause his lecture. Continuing on, he turned his attention to the left side of the room, addressing a Ravenclaw’s question.

“Blaise brought you a muffin as a peace treaty,” Jack murmured under his breath as I sat. Blaise was looking at me with an apologetic look on his face, and I gave him a smile, silently thanking him for the gesture. 

As I set my bag on the ground, I snuck a glance at Malfoy. His attention was on his hands, twisting his rings around his fingers as he half-heartedly listened to Snape. He had been ignoring me since the night in the greenhouse. Swallowing thickly, I pulled out my potions textbook and set it on the table.

“What chapter are we on?” I whispered to Jack, beginning to unwrap the muffin. 

“Three,” he answered, and I flipped my book to the correct page. I sighed in despair when I realized it was on Weedosoros, which was a potion that I had nearly failed the introductory quiz of. It was a highly poisonous potion anyways, I wasn’t sure why Snape trusted us to brew it correctly. 

“Since I’ve completed the lecture for today, you all will spend the rest of class brewing Weedosoros. Do not-” Snape’s eyes swept over the classroom, his voice sharply pausing on the ‘not’. “Touch or drink the potion. If you manage to go completely against my warnings, leave for the hospital wing on your own. The other students and I do not need to witness your convulsing.”

With that, Snape released the students to begin brewing. The room was immediately filled with the sound of stools screeching across the stone, students splitting from their seats for the supply closet and the back shelves. As usual, Jack offered to collect the ingredients while I gathered my cauldron. Snape was requiring only one vial from each partnership, since the potion was incredibly potent and dangerous.

Malfoy followed me to the back shelves, and I rolled my eyes, feeling his presence behind me as I knelt down for my cauldron. My eyes searched the shelves, but it was nowhere to be found. I heard Malfoy chuckling above me, already clutching on to the handle of his cauldron. 

“What is it, Malfoy?” I snapped, fed up with his immaturity. Standing up, I levelled my gaze on him, but the smirk never left his mouth. Instead, he simply raised his chin at a shelf on my left, causing me to turn. Sure enough, the “Wilkinson” label was facing outwards, the pewter reflecting the dim light of the classroom. 

When I turned back around from grabbing my cauldron, Malfoy was already at the table, setting his cauldron on the stand. I sighed, walking back and doing the same. Jack returned moments later, spreading the ingredient jars out in order. Thankfully, the potion didn’t call for armadillo bile, and I think Blaise was grateful as well.

The four of us started working silently. Jack was humming under his breath, slightly bouncing his head as he began to grind the beetle exoskeletons into the mortar. His humming, combined with the sound of the pestle grinding against the mortar, sent my senses into overload. Pausing from where I was dicing the ginger, I shot a look at him, nudging his shoulder with my elbow when he didn’t immediately look over.

“Sorry,” he muttered, giving me a soft smile before he poured the now-ground beetles into the cauldron. The potion began to simmer, turning a reddish-brown. 

“No, I’m sorry,” I sighed, shaking my head as I immediately regretted my actions. “I’m having a bad day, I didn’t mean to snap.” Jack chuckled, shrugging nonchalantly. 

“We all have ‘em,” he blew it off, his eyes reading over the next step of the potion. His words made me feel a bit better and I gave him a smile, returning to dicing the ginger root.

“I dunno, Blaise, it looks more like cubing than it does dicing,” I heard Malfoy comment on my ginger, a snort following a second later. Clenching my jaw, I raised my gaze to meet his. The sly grin was still on his lips, his gray eyes piercing into mine. Blaise was focused on the textbook, not looking at Malfoy or me. I doubted he had even said anything in the first place.

“You’re one to talk, Malfoy. Takes you twenty minutes to crush three beetles,” I snapped at him again, my head gesturing to the fully-intact shells in his mortar. My grip tightened around the handle of the knife, my knuckles going white. His eyes flicked down at the movement, but he didn’t look surprised, rather angry that I had fired back. 

“Maybe if you didn’t flirt with Simmons all class, you’d have time to improve your knife skills,” he smirked, clearly not phased by my comment on the beetles. Blaise coughed awkwardly, obviously trying to diffuse some of the tension. My patience was short this morning, and I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek.

“You couldn’t find the snitch if Hooch handed it to you,” I glared at him, ignoring Jack’s hand on my shoulder. I’ll be the first to admit it was a low blow, but I didn’t care. Besides, Jack had won more games in our third year than Malfoy had, so there was some truth to my words. Our squabbling had finally caught Snape’s attention, as he was gliding through the tables, making his way to ours. 

I hadn’t expected Malfoy to escalate the childish argument, though. 

“Why don’t your parents write you? Aunt Beth seems to a lot,“ he sneered, his eyes narrowing. His comment, although simple in nature, sent me over the edge that I had been teetering on all morning. My anger clouded my judgement for a moment, and in that split second, I drove the tip of the knife into the wooden board with a firm swing of my arm. The handle wiggled back and forth for a moment, before it came to a stop. I mustered the meanest glare I could and sent it directly at Malfoy, whose eyes had widened as they travelled down the knife. My hands slammed down on the edge of the table, my fingers curling around the edge tightly.

“Olive,” Jack whispered, but got interrupted by Snape. 

“Miss Wilkinson, exactly what do you think you’re doing?” he asked, but his voice was distant. My blood was coursing with rage, and my hands left the table, balling up into fists at my side. I avoided Snape’s gaze, finally lowering mine to the table. 

“Excuse me,” I muttered, trying to calm my heart rate down. Not looking at any of them, I rounded the table, immediately heading for the classroom door. Pushing it open, I was met with the typical frigid air of the dungeons, which slapped against my heated cheeks. It was relieving, though, and I stalked to the opposite side of the hallway. Turning, I slid my back against the stone, eventually coming to a rest on the floor. My hands were shaking and my heart was still pounding against the confines of my ribcage. 

I must’ve sat in the hallway for at least ten minutes, slowly calming myself down as my eyes traced over the outline of several stone blocks. The classroom door finally opened, causing me to lift my gaze. Malfoy was standing between the stone arch, quickly slipping through and closing the door behind him. 

“You’re the last person I want to talk to right now,” I scoffed, averting my gaze. When he crossed the hallway, I turned my head away from him, refusing to watch him sit down next to me.

“Snape sent me out to apologize,” he said simply, and I rolled my eyes. For some reason, the statement hurt more than if he hadn’t apologized at all. 

“Of course, you couldn’t possibly take responsibility for your actions,” I retorted, leaning my head against the stone. “Self-preservation, you Malfoys call it?”

“Don’t bring my family into this,” he muttered, and I nearly gasped at his blatant contradiction. 

‘“Don’t bring my family into this’?” I repeated through a bitter laugh, finally turning to look at him. Malfoy was already staring at me, a tinge of regret in his eyes. But when he saw the pure fire in mine, the regret was washed away and was replaced with narrowed eyes. “You can’t be serious. Do you have a memory problem or something? Genetic, possibly?”

“Watch your mouth, Wilkinson,” he sat up straight, peeling his back from the wall. Shaking my head, I stood up, and he followed. The two of us stood a few feet away from one another, him glowering down at me. 

“Don’t tell me what to do, you foul little weasel,” I growled, my hands balling into fists once more. I felt my nails dig into my palms, a weak reminder to bring me back to reality. Malfoy’s sudden change in behavior bewildered me every day, the sharp contrast between the night in the greenhouse and right now was too much to wrap my head around. 

Malfoy smirked, his arms crossing over his chest. “Tell me, do you get this hot streak of yours from your mother or your father?” 

I guess today wasn’t the day for thinking through my actions before I did them. 

Before I even knew it, my fist had collided with Malfoy’s nose. Unfortunately, it didn’t draw blood, but Malfoy stumbled a few steps back, his hand immediately covering his nose. His eyes were screwed shut in pain, his other hand coming up to rest on top of the other. My hand retreated to my side, immediately opening and laying flat against the side of my thigh. 

His eyes fluttered open, his gaze landing on mine. I had set my lips into a firm line, my glare never wavering. Without another word, I left him behind as I entered the classroom, immediately joining Jack at the table. The potion bubbling happily on the stand, and Jack had graciously cleaned up our side of the table as he waited for it to finish.

Needless to say, I skipped the rest of classes that day.

\---

I had gone a full two weeks without speaking to Malfoy, even through how painful Herbology had become. We never spoke, but we continued to sit next one another. He had muttered my name a few times, but I either pretended not to hear, or struck up a conversation with Longbottom. The boy was actually quite sweet once you talked to him. I think Sprout had noticed, but she never said anything.

Not talking to Malfoy wasn’t as awkward as I had expected it to be, it was easy to ignore him during meals, and especially so in the common room. Since I told him what Malfoy had said in the hallway, Jack was nearly always at my side. He was like an overprotective older brother, shooting glares at Malfoy whenever he could. I could tell it ticked off Malfoy, but I didn’t care in the slightest. His comments about my parents crossed my mind from time to time, flaring up the anger inside me for a short second.

I was foolish to believe Malfoy would continue to treat me how he did when we were alone. Especially in front of the others.

It was nearing the end of October, and with each passing day, more and more students were starting to ask others to the ball. Even though it was just under two months away, it seemed as though the entire school was more excited for the ball than the first tournament task. Even Goyle had asked another Slytherin in the common room a few days ago.

For each of the two matches Malfoy had been suspended for, Jack had won them for Slytherin. Seeing the look on Malfoy’s face when we returned to the common room was priceless. However, he was cleared for the next one, and I was expecting our winning streak to come to an end.

Currently, I was sitting between Katie and Jack at dinner. Malfoy was sitting further down with Crabbe and Goyle, Goyle’s date eating with them as well. I had never talked to her, but I had recognized her from some classes. 

My mood had gotten better since the fight with Malfoy, and I was grateful to have Jack to lean on over the past few weeks. It seemed as though he had mellowed out as well, the tension between him and the rest of the Durmstrang boys beginning to fizzle. The two of us were closer than we had ever been.

I was just taking a bite of my salad when Jack suddenly slammed his hands on the table, catching the attention of everyone in a ten foot radius of us. I froze initially, and then rested my fork in my bowl, looking at him with complete confusion etched onto my face. “Wha-” I started, but he was standing up.

Clearing his throat, he stepped onto the bench, and then onto the table. Katie whined when his shoe nearly went into her soup, snatching it away from him and shooting him a glare. Jack glanced down, planting his feet firmly as he looked at me. The sight of a student standing on the table had captured the attention of many others, even some of the professors had stopped eating as well. 

“What are you doing?” I whispered, as most of the conversations in the Great Hall had ceased, waiting for Jack’s big announcement. He raised his arms from his sides, holding them out perpendicular to his torso.

“Olive Wilkinson,” he started, and I felt my breath catch in my throat, staring up at him. I hadn’t moved, my hand still clasping the handle of the fork. “Will you, please, go to the Yule Ball with me?”

A hushed whisper fell over the house tables, students craning their necks so they could see who Jack was asking. Of course it had to be Jack to pull the most dramatic proposal yet, many of the others had been much quieter about it.

I smile washed over my face, a laugh escaping my lips as I nodded. It became more eager, and Jack jumped off the table over Katie and I, landing on the stone. The Great Hall erupted in applause, a few other Slytherins whooping. Some of the professors clapped politely, but I saw McGonagall eyeing Jack like she was debating taking house points for interrupting dinner. 

Swinging my legs over Jack’s empty spot, I stood up and quickly hugged Jack. “Of course I will, Jack Simmons.” I mocked his use of my full name, earning me a full-bodied laugh from him. I hadn’t seen him this happy so far this year, so I smiled warmly as I sat back down next to Katie. 

“God, I was waiting forever for him to do that,” she gushed, immediately turning to me with a wide smile on her face. “Okay, so Blaise said that we can…” she started rambling, but I felt my focus drift.

It was like my eyes were being pulled by a force other than my own brain, my gaze shifting to Malfoy without me even recognizing what I was doing. His gaze was slightly averted, his eyes unfocused as they looked towards the table. If I had to name it, I’d say muted anguish was etched over his features, his mouth slightly downturned and his eyes staring pointlessly at the wood. He blinked a few times, but the movement was slow.

Continuing to look at him as Katie’s voice was babbling faintly, it was like he passed his sadness onto me. A wave of regret washed over me, and for some reason, I felt like I shouldn’t have accepted Jack’s proposal. Malfoy finally lifted his gaze, his eyes staring deep into my soul. My lips parted as I took in the numbness behind his eyes, holding them for a moment. I dropped my gaze down, and then at Jack’s nudge, I turned my face away from Malfoy’s.

Over the past two weeks, I had wanted to punch Malfoy’s face in whenever I saw it. I hated that I didn’t know what he was thinking just then, but I think I hated myself even more for accepting Jack’s proposal.

The rest of dinner went by fast, Katie finally spilling out that her and Jack had been planning that for at least a week. Blaise reluctantly agreed, whining that the planning took Katie away from him for the past few days. 

That night, Pansy burst into the dormitory, squealing that Malfoy had finally asked her to the ball.

\---

On November first, Snape announced that later that evening, the Slytherin house would hold their first practice of the Yule Ball dances. We were to have biweekly practices, as Snape didn’t want the students of his house to embarrass him. I was sitting in potions when Snape made the announcement, leaning forward on the table and resting my head on my hand. 

“A cold has been sweeping through each house, Madam Pomfrey has asked me to have my students brew the Pepperup potion. Once you finish, bottle as many vials as possible and set them in the racks in the back of the classroom,” he released the class with a nod, immediately retreating to his desk at the front of the classroom. 

I snuck a glance at Malfoy, but he was busy shrugging off his robes, not looking in my direction. Sighing, I joined Blaise on the short walk to the supply cabinet, letting Jack gather the cauldrons for once. 

“Katie says that you two went dress shopping over the summer,” he mentioned as we were waiting in the queue, a few other Ravenclaws in front of us. I raised my eyebrow suspiciously, curious as to why Blaise would’ve brought that up.

“We did, why?” I questioned, crossing my arms over my chest. A Slytherin at the front of the line was taking an incredibly long time gathering her ingredients, and I was growing restless.

“She won’t tell me what color it is,” he whined suddenly, pouting his bottom lip out. “I just wanted to make sure my parents will owl me the correct bowtie color.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Don’t think I can tell you either, then. Sorry, Blaise.”

He groaned, but dropped the subject. 

Nearly nine hours later, Snape had gathered the Slytherin house in the Great Hall after dinner. The tables were pushed to the perimeter of the room, giving students plenty of space to practice. I was nervous, as I had never slow-danced before, much less learned a dance. 

I was standing between Jack and Katie as the rest of the Slytherins filtered through the entrance, scowls and frowns on many of their faces. Jack had his hands shoved into the pockets of his robes, gnawing on his bottom lip as his eyes darted around the Great Hall. I couldn’t tell what was on his mind, but it was clearly something.

Filch was standing in the corner of the Great Hall, hunched over a phonograph. Mrs. Norris was weaving her way between his legs, and I was surprised she didn’t trip him up. Him and Snape were muttering something to one another, Snape’s beady eyes watching each student enter the room. 

Once the entire house was inside, Snape spelled the door shut, the noise echoing throughout the otherwise silent room. We were locked in, and I had a feeling Snape wouldn’t let us go until he was satisfied.

“The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the tournament since its inception,” Snape announced, drawing the attention of all the students. He began to walk towards the middle of the Great Hall, Filch still fidgeting with the record in the corner. The scratching sounds were louder than I expected, and I winced at the noise. Snape’s head snapped to Filch, spinning tightly on his heel. Filch hung his head cowardly, finally settling the record properly on the player.

“As representatives of the host school, and of my house, I expect each and every one-” Snape’s eyes darted between the students, lingering on mine for a second before he moved onto Jack. “of you to successfully perform the dance. The Yule Ball is no time for nonsensical actions.”

I inhaled a deep sigh, biting the inside of my cheek as I listened to Snape. The students erupted into a whirlwind of whispers and scoffs, clearly finding Snape’s introduction of the dance stupid. Jack snickered next to me, glancing over Katie and I’s heads to Blaise, who returned the same smirk. 

“Silence!” Snape ordered, and the Slytherins immediately quieted, waiting for his next instruction.

“Miss Jones,” Snape suddenly pointed at Katie, causing her to freeze under his stare. “If you will.” He beckoned her forward, and the few Slytherins in front of us parted, giving her a clearing to walk through. She sighed, bowing her head as she joined Snape in the middle of the room. 

I had to bite down hard on my lip to keep the smile from erupting on my face, but Jack and Blaise had no problem chuckling under their breath as they watched her leave. When Katie turned, she shot the evilest glare at them, dragging her finger across her neck when Snape wasn’t looking. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing behind us, Pansy alongside Malfoy. Ever since he had officially asked her to the ball, she couldn’t stop yapping about finding him a matching bowtie. A few nights ago, she had cried when telling Katie and I that Malfoy had snapped at her about it, insisting to stick to a white bowtie.

“He should’ve just danced with Filch,” Jack mumbled, leaning down so I could hear. I snorted quietly, nodding my head in agreement. 

Snape’s head turned to Filch, nodding once and Filch placed the needle on the record. The song began to play throughout the Great Hall, and Snape turned back to Katie. She stared up at him, her eyes wide as he glowered down at her.

“One hand on my shoulder, Miss Jones,” he instructed, and she hesitantly raised her hand from her side, resting it on his shoulder. I could hear Malfoy beginning to snicker behind us, whispering something to Goyle that I couldn’t quite catch.

Snape held his hand up, gesturing with a sharp movement of his head for Katie to the same. I could see her shoulders raise in a deep inhale, which she held as she placed her hand against his, her fingers curling around the back of his hand. 

“Now, I shall put my hand,” Snape paused, swallowing thickly before he proceeded. “On your waist.” The moment he did so, Malfoy and Crabbe shouted out a couple yips, poking fun at Katie’s predicament. Blaise turned at the sound, shooting Malfoy a glare, to which he waggled his eyebrows quickly in a “so-what” motion. I glanced over at Filch, who had picked up Mrs. Norris, and the two were swaying back and forth.

I could see the blush sweep over Katie’s cheeks and nose, and she tucked her lips between her teeth as Snape started counting. The two moved in a jerking motion at first, Katie accidentally tripping over Snape’s feet. Thirty seconds later, they had settled into better fluidity, Snape leading the dance as they began to circle around. Katie kept her eyes on the ground, watching her feet as she shuffled around. 

The dance seemed to be fairly easy, as Snape halted no less a minute later. He immediately released Katie’s waist, and she did the same for his shoulder. She caught my gaze, and I mouthed an apology, causing a small smile to waver on her lips for a second. Snape started to address the house, giving a brief overview of the movements of the dance.

“Easy to grasp, Miss Wilkinson?” Snape commented, and my gaze snapped to him. My mouth opened and closed a few times, not sure how to respond.

“Um-” I started, but Snape interrupted.

“I will not have you embarrass me simply because you weren’t paying attention. Exchange places with Jones,” he placed a hand on Katie’s back, gently pushing her forward to where we were standing. 

Malfoy let out a couple “ow-ow”’s behind me as I walked between some of the other Slytherins, the sound echoing throughout the room. It was an effort to embarrass me, but the fact that Snape called my name out already did. Closing my eyes, I sighed as I passed Katie. She whispered “good luck”, hurriedly rushing to stand next to Blaise.

“Amusing, is it, Mr. Malfoy?” Snape said before I even approached him, tilting his head as he stared at Malfoy. His eyes widened, shaking his head as he swallowed. 

Without a word, Snape’s finger pointed at him, and then towards the ground on his left. I had come to a stop on Snape’s right, only looking between Jack, Katie, and Blaise. With a sigh, Malfoy slinked through the other students, halting only once he was standing next to Snape. He muttered something about his father as he joined Snape and I, but Snape ignored it. I avoided looking at him as he approached, letting my gaze drop to the ground. 

“If Filch-” Snape’s gaze snapped to Filch, who let Mrs. Norris down at the movement. “Would play the song again, we shall observe Mr. Malfoy and Miss Wilkinson perform the dance.” At that, my mouth dropped open, finally raising my gaze to stare at Snape.

“Professor, I can’t,” I breathed out, hoping he would’ve remembered what happened in potions only a few weeks ago. Malfoy had the same look on his face, his eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. 

“I will not hesitate to take house points away,” Snape said coolly, meeting my gaze with a hard stare of his own. I closed my mouth, clenching my jaw as I inhaled deeply through my nose. The other students started murmuring, and I knew they would be upset with me if I managed to get points taken away from my own house. 

“Fine,” I spat, not caring if my tone was too harsh for a professor. My eyes landed on Malfoy’s, whose were wide as he stared back at me. Snape took a few steps towards the students, turning on his heel once he was far enough away. Tucking an arm across his torso, he set his elbow on his other hand, resting his chin on his free hand. His eyes watched us, where we were still glaring at each other.

Filch set the needle on the record, and the song restarted. I finally dropped my eyes to Malfoy’s shoulder, where I placed my hand moments later. Like Snape had previously, Malfoy held his other hand out to his side. My gaze travelled to his waiting palm, taking a breath before I slipped my hand into his. Immediately, his fingers curled around the back of my hand, securing our hold on one another.

I sucked in a breath when he did so, his hands freezing cold. Mine were a bit sweatier than I would’ve liked, but Snape’s previous request had gotten my blood boiling. I tried to clear my mind, making myself believe it was only Malfoy and I in the room. 

Malfoy’s hand was tentative when it came to rest on my waist, so gentle that I hadn’t even felt it at first. We were standing a few inches apart, and I rested my eyes on the knot of his tie, not wanting to look at him. I couldn’t see him, but Jack’s jaw was clenched, his eyes set only on Malfoy.

Malfoy started counting under his breath, low enough that I could barely even hear it. He dipped his hand holding mine downwards, my arm soon following. The two of us started swaying back and forth, his grip becoming tighter on my waist as we progressed through the song. It was an easy, natural rhythm to fall into.

“You can look at me, you know,” Malfoy mumbled when he had his back to the rest of the students. His tone had an edge to it, like he was annoyed that I wasn’t doing so.

“Why would I even want to?” I scoffed under my breath as we began to turn. My gaze stayed on his tie, my eyes tracing over the green and silver stripes. I knew he wouldn’t apologize for what he said, especially as he hadn’t over the past few weeks.

“This is just as painful for me as it is for you,” he sneered, his nostrils flaring as he spit out the harsh statement. I snorted, purposefully stepping on his foot as we turned once more. He winced, his gaze snapping down to his foot.

“Sorry,” It was a single word, but sarcasm smothered it. Raising my gaze to meet his, his eyes stared deeply into mine as he squeezed my hand tightly, causing the knuckle of my ring finger to buckle outwards painfully. I gasped, breaking our stare as I looked to my hand. Malfoy’s grip relaxed, my knuckle settling back into its proper place. 

I had never been happier than when the song ended, Filch picking up the needle. Immediately, I dropped my hand from his, shooting him a glare as I retreated my hand from his shoulder as well. Without another look, I weaseled my way out of his grip on my waist, raising my chin as I returned to my spot between Jack and Katie. 

Snape ended the practice once Malfoy had left the floor as well, releasing us to the common room, library, whatever we were previously doing. I was crossing the Great Hall with Jack when I caught Snape’s eye. His gaze was already on me, a pensive look on his face as if he was debating to say something. He didn’t though, so I broke our stare as I left the hall with Jack alongside me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also I made a tiktok under the same username (supersoakerluke), so if you wanna, pls tag me in literally anything dracotok related, I get a lot of inspiration from there lolol
> 
> also happy saturday!!


	29. chapter twenty-seven

Two days later, Snape had cancelled potions. It was odd, as he never suspended a class, but I found myself appreciating the unusual free time. So, on a slow Friday morning, I was lounging on one of the black couches in the common room, watching the fire as it crackled. My potions textbook was open on my stomach, but I hadn’t looked at it in twenty minutes.

Jack and Blaise had taken the opportunity to sleep in, and Katie and Pansy were in astronomy together. It was the first time I had been alone in a while, but I definitely wasn’t complaining. Ever since the ball practice, I hadn’t talked to Malfoy, still furious about the confrontation we had outside the potions hallway. Although I had talked to Jack about what Malfoy said, I never mentioned my parent’s death. I had thought I trusted Jack enough to tell him, but there never seemed to be a right time.

“Mornin’, Olive,” Pucey said as he passed, drumming his fingers against the back of the couch as he headed for the door. I raised my hand in recognition, muttering a small ‘morning’ as he left the common room.

Once Pucey left, the common room fell into silence, the only noise the ticking of the second hand in the grandfather clock. I rested my head against the armrest of the chair, crossing my legs at my ankles. 

Everything was happening as it was supposed to be. Katie and Blaise were still happily together, Jack and I were going to the ball as friends, and Malfoy had asked Pansy just like she wanted. Aunt Beth had written to tell me the house was secure, and that nothing odd had happened. Besides slipping in potions, I was doing fairly well in school. So I couldn’t figure out what was pulling my conscious the other direction, telling me something was off. 

It just seemed like things were too good to be true, and I dreaded the inevitable bomb that was threatening to explode. 

But the most unsettling thing was that I had no idea what could happen.

Sighing, I tried to clear my head and brought my potions textbook up to rest on my stomach. I spent the rest of the morning studying figures, procedures, applications, anything related to potions.

Sometime within the next hour, I had grown uncomfortable on my back, and had flipped onto my stomach. I still had just under twenty minutes until herbology, and the words on the page were beginning to morph together. Closing my book, I threw it onto the table, the sound echoing throughout the empty common room. Biting my lip, I rested my head on the crook on my arm, watching the stray embers from the fire fizzle out once they escaped the fireplace.

“Can I ask you something?”

I lifted my head at the voice, already knowing who it was. Malfoy was standing on the end of the couch near my head, his gaze fixed on the fire as well. Groaning, I flopped my head back to where it had been previously, my quiet morning ruined. “What,” I grumbled, making an effort to make my response sound more like a statement, rather than a question. 

“What’d you get for number five on the charms homework?” he asked, sliding his bag off his shoulder and dropping it on the couch next to mine. Flitwick had assigned a monstrous homework set last Friday, promising it to be one of the hardest we had encountered so far. And he hadn’t lied. It was due later today, but I had gotten it done a few days ago.

“True,” I mumbled emotionlessly, keeping my gaze on the fire. It was a lie, but I refused to help him. Malfoy rounded the couch to sit down next to his bag, and in my peripheral vision, I saw him kick up his feet on the table.

“It was a short answer question,” he scoffed, but I already knew that. Plus, I knew that Malfoy was never one to leave homework to the last minute. And especially not one to never figure out the correct answer. 

“I’ll probably get it wrong then,” I shrugged, the movement slightly impaired as I was laying on my stomach. I could hear Malfoy unsnapping his bag, and the rifling of parchment came seconds later.

“Why are you being like this?” he muttered, beginning to shuffle through what I assumed was his charms homework. Rolling my eyes, a short exhale came through my nose in a huff, not believing he actually asked that.

“What, are you being nice today?” I asked, and he paused his shuffling, looking over to me with a confused look on his face. Lifting my head, I rested my chin on my stacked fists as I finally met his gaze. His mouth parted, and it looked like he was about to say something.

“Because, if you haven’t noticed, you’re either extremely nice to me when we’re alone, or you’re a total twat,” I cut him off, unleashing the confusion that had been building up in me since the beginning of the school year. It felt better than I had imagined. Malfoy’s face fell a millimeter, before he quickly collected himself. 

“You’re the one that flaunts around with Simmons all the time!” he retorted, but it was desperate and clearly not well thought-out. I sat up, sitting cross-legged on the couch. 

“Why does it even matter?” I said exasperatedly, a heavy sigh leaving my chest following a second later. My hands flew into the air beside me, a sign that I was not only confused, but tired of the immaturity. Malfoy set his mouth in a firm line, averting his gaze as he looked to my potions textbook, like it was a distraction. He didn’t say anything, instead sucking one of his cheeks between his teeth.

“Tell me!” I pushed further, one leg unraveling from beneath me and dangling over the edge of the couch. My hands came down to rest on my thighs, and my shoulders fell in exhaustion. Malfoy’s eyes swept from the textbook to the fire, looking even further away from me. He brought his hands together, his right palm cracking all four of his left knuckles in succession. 

“Mal-”

“Because!” he burst out, his head snapping towards me. I jumped at the sudden eruption, not expecting it. There was no anger or envy in his eyes, but rather worry, which confused me. “Because,” he repeated, but it was quieter this time.

I bit my bottom lip, trying to prepare myself for whatever was next out of his mouth. 

“I just - because, I,” he stuttered under his breath, glancing away from me once again. I scoffed, annoyed with myself that I had actually expected Malfoy to explain himself. Fed up with his inability to communicate, I stood, snatching my potions textbook off the table. At the movement, Malfoy looked up, first glancing at the textbook and then flicking his eyes up to my face. 

“Let me know when you can finish that sentence,” I said, keeping my tone reserved as I bent down to pick up my bag. I saw Malfoy’s shoulders drop, his gaze dropping to my right like he was frustrated with himself. Sneaking a glance, I saw that herbology began in less than ten minutes, so I figured I would head to the greenhouse. Turning on my heel, I slipped my potions textbook into my bag as I walked towards the common room door, not caring if Malfoy was behind me.

I sat on the left side of the table, near the windows. Before the fight in potions, Malfoy and I had a running quarrel about who got to sit near the windows. It was childish, but it used to make me look forward to herbology. I sighed, dumping my bag on the ground before I collapsed on the stool. At the noise, Longbottom turned around from in front of me, shooting me a worried look.

“Are you okay, Olive?” he mumbled, his eyebrows knitting together as his eyes swept over my face. I chuckled, the sound a bit sadder than I meant for it to be. 

“Yeah, I am. Thanks, Neville,” I shot a reassuring smile at him, and he gave a small nod in response before turning back to the front of the class. 

Moments later, Malfoy slipped onto the stool next to me, not saying a word. I rested my chin on my palm, my eyes wandering around the students who sat in front of us as I waited for Sprout to start the lecture. We had moved on from the flutterby bushes, now revising what we had learned about bubotubers. Sprout had heavily emphasized the two plants for the mid-year exams, so I was trying to pay as much attention as I could. Monday’s and Wednesday’s classes were spent collecting the pus from the plant, which was exactly as gross as it sounded. 

We still had two minutes before class officially started, but Sprout bustled over to me, holding two large jars of bubotuber pus.

“Olive, dear, could you run these down to Professor Snape’s office? I’d typically ask Neville to do such a thing, but given that he’s your head of house, I figured-” she paused herself, shrugging slightly. She didn’t need to say it, I knew that she didn’t want to send Neville to Snape. Although I hadn’t seen it, I had heard that Neville’s boggart last year was Snape himself.

“Of course,” I nodded my head, taking the two jars from her. The greenhouse was hot as usual, so I had already slipped off my robes once I entered the room. Deciding I didn’t need them for the short walk, I shuffled behind Malfoy, ensuring I had a good grip on the glass jars. I could hear Sprout start the lesson as I pressed my back against the greenhouse door, pushing it open and letting myself into the hallway. 

As I expected, the hallways were deserted, all students in their classes. Within a few minutes, I had already descended the dungeon staircase, walking briskly towards Snape’s classroom. I knew he didn’t hold a class after ours, so I was assuming it was an okay time for me to pop in.

“Severus, have you been doing everything I asked?” I heard someone say, and I slowed my steps, coming to a stop behind a pillar. Given the shadow it cast, I wouldn’t be able to be seen if Snape stepped outside his classroom. The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it. Low and controlled, like he thought through his words precisely before he said them.

“Of course I have, Lucius. Your son is posing more problems than either of us expected,” Snape responded, his voice travelling down the hallway. At the mention of Malfoy’s father, I nearly gasped, but I immediately tucked my lips between my teeth to silence myself. I pressed my back against the cool stone, clutching the glass jars tightly against my chest. 

“How dare you-” Mr. Malfoy started, but he was interrupted by Snape. 

“Draco got himself punched by that Wilkinson girl a few weeks ago,” he said, and I could hear the annoyance seeping through his teeth. If they were talking about me prior, I had absolutely no idea why. My eyes darted back and forth on the stone, debating whether or not to intrude on the private conversation. I glanced down at the jars, mouthing a swear word when I realized I would have to give these to Snape one way or another. 

My impulsiveness took the reins, and I stepped out of the shadows. Approaching the classroom door, I cleared my throat as I entered. “Professor Sna-”

Snape’s head snapped to the doorway, Lucius’s following not more than a second later. I took a meager step backwards when Snape suddenly stood, the stool he was sitting on teetering on its legs. My eyes widened as he glided through the room, his gaze never leaving mine. I hadn’t realized how much I had backpedaled until my back hit the closed door. 

“How stupid do you have to be to infringe unwelcomed on a private conversation?” Snape questioned lowly, standing not more than two feet away from me. It was the same tone he reserved for dealing with ignorant students, one that he only used on me in my first potions class ever. I looked up at him, my palms beginning to sweat. As I adjusted the jars, I looked past Snape to Mr. Malfoy, who had stood as well. He was leaning on his cane, his eyes boring into mine just as hard as Snape’s were. 

I swallowed thickly as Mr. Malfoy approached, the sound of his cane hitting the ground echoing through Snape’s classroom. “How much did you hear, Miss Wilkinson?” he asked, raising his chin and looking down his nose at me.

“None of it,” I lied, shrugging nonchalantly. “Anyways, Professor Sprout wanted me to run these to you. Bubotuber pus, just like you requested,” I gave Snape a weak smile and held out the two jars towards him, who sneered down at them with a look of distaste. 

Instead of taking the jars from me, Snape’s head turned, looking towards Lucius. Mr. Malfoy’s gaze lingered on mine for a second more, before he glanced over to meet Snape’s, never once moving his head. He gave a single nod towards Snape, like they were communicating telepathically. Nerves began to flood my system as I looked frantically between the two men, not anticipating what was about to happen. 

Snape turned back to me, his hand reaching into the pocket of his robes. My lips parted, but somehow, my grip never lessened on the jars. I watched as Snape pulled out his wand, his pale fingers wrapping around the base. They were going to kill me, I was certain of it.

I looked Snape deep in the eyes, and then to Mr. Malfoy. “Please, I didn’t hear anything! I swe-”

“Obliviate,” Snape muttered, raising the tip of his wand to my forehead. I felt my eyes flutter shut against my will, a tremor running through my brain. It felt like what I imagined a seizure to resemble, though not as drastic. When my eyes opened again, only Snape was standing in the room.

Confused, I glanced around the room, not sure why I was here. From what I had remembered, Snape had cancelled class that morning. My eyes landed on the clock at the front of the room, and I realized I should be in herbology. 

“I’ll take those. Give Pomona my thanks,” Snape reached for the jars, and I let him take them from my grip easily. I must’ve looked lost, as Snape cleared his throat and brought my attention to him. “Professor Sprout, Miss Wilkinson,” he clarified, and I nodded, slightly embarrassed. 

“Of course,” I responded, though I didn’t know what I was thanking her for. With a nod, I turned, my hand finding the doorknob. Before I left the classroom, I took one last glance behind me, seeing only Snape placing the jars in the supply closet. 

I blinked a few times, slipping through the doorway and into the hallway of the dungeons. Standing still for a few moments, I tried to remember what I was doing. I knew I should be in a class, and given what Snape had said, I assumed I was needed in herbology.

Rubbing both my eyes with the heels of my palms, I started for the dungeon staircase, trying to put my head on straight. I felt like I had been submerged in water, both my ears feeling like they were plugged up. I shook my head aggressively as I skipped up the stairs, finding myself on the main floor. Five minutes later, I had approached the greenhouse. Peering through the window, I could see Sprout demonstrating a repotting technique, and the back of Malfoy’s blonde head watching. 

I took a deep breath as my fingers curled around the door handle, pulling it open. Very few students turned, so I assumed I must’ve left during the class. Slinking down the middle of the greenhouse, I took my seat next to Malfoy. Once I was sitting, I grabbed my robes off the table, draping them over the back of my chair. I must’ve forgotten to do so at the beginning of class. 

Sprout gave me a smile when she saw me at my table, nodding her head quickly. I shot a smile back at her, settling into my stool as I watched her grasp the stems of a bubotuber in one hand, the other digging a hole in the soil. 

Ten minutes later, Malfoy’s pale fingers slid a ripped piece of parchment across the table, tucking it under the corner of my herbology textbook. I glanced over at the movement, but he was staring straight forward, crossing his arms as he paid attention to Sprout. We had barely spoken over the last few weeks, not since I punched him in the nose. I had never apologized, but neither had he. Curious, I reached out, pinching the parchment between my fingers as I tugged it out from under the weight of my book. 

“”Because he isn’t who he says he is.”” 

Malfoy’s handwriting was rushed, but I hadn’t seen him scribble anything since I had returned. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, the crease between them digging deep into my forehead. I ran my thumb over the dried ink, confused as to who Malfoy was referring to.

“Who isn’t who he says he is?” I whispered, turning my head so I could look at Malfoy. He was still for a moment, before his expression changed to match mine. Reaching out, he snatched the parchment from my hand before his eyes swept over it, almost like he was checking what he had written.

“What?” he hissed back, lowering his head and tilting it towards me so Sprout couldn’t see. 

“Who’s “he”?” I asked under my breath, shooting Malfoy a puzzled look. My question was genuine, and Malfoy’s eyebrows furrowed together in deeper confusion. His gaze broke from mine, looking back down at the note. It was like something hit him all at once, as he immediately snapped his attention to Sprout.

“May I go to the restroom, Professor?” he blurted, accidentally interrupting her speech about some applications of the bubotuber pus. She paused, her hand freezing as she was holding a bubotuber in her hand. A few students turned around at the disturbance, but Malfoy ignored all their stares. 

“Uh, yes, dear. Of course,” Sprout nodded her head, releasing him from the greenhouse. He immediately bolted out of the stool, causing it to wiggle on its four feet before it came to a rest. I watched him leave as Sprout resumed the lecture, eventually turning back to the front of the classroom. 

Malfoy didn’t return for another fifteen minutes, much to Sprout’s dismay. When he did sit back down, she shot him a warning glare, shaking her head in disappointment. She didn’t take any house points though, which I think both Malfoy and I were grateful for. Currently, Slytherin was in the lead for the House Cup. Of course, we still had a long year ahead of us.

\---

“Good morning, Miss Olive,” Jack teased as he sat down next to me, patting my head jokingly. It was the next day, and Katie and I had already been in the Great Hall for nearly ten minutes. Since it was a Saturday, we had planned to spend the entire day in the dormitory, beginning to put together the details for the Yule Ball. Pansy had finally talked Malfoy into agreeing on a silver bowtie, hopefully the same shade as her dress. 

“Good morning,” I parroted, shooting Jack a wide smile. He had begun to settle down from the nervous break he had been suffering at the beginning of the school year. Ivan still had a few hours until the first task, which was happening tomorrow afternoon. I had been completely overwhelmed with homework assignments this week, but I was hoping I could make it. “How’s Ivan feeling?”

Jack shrugged, cutting a wedge out of his pancake. “I assume okay, the Durmstrang boys have basically been training for the past five years.” He looked over at me before he shoved a forkful of pancake into his mouth.

I bit my lip, my mind replaying his statement about the Durmstrang boys. “Would you have come? If you stayed at Durmstrang?” I asked, reaching for an apple from the bowl in the middle of the table. 

Jack’s wrists rested on the edge of the table, keeping his syrup-covered knife and fork away from the wood. “Maybe, I guess. I wouldn’t have been old enough to enter though, so maybe not.”

I hummed, raising my shoulders in a quick shrug. Jack gave me a quick smile before he dove back into his pancakes, and then got invested in a conversation about quidditch with Blaise. I swiped the apple against my sleeve, finally bringing it to my lips and biting down. As I chewed, my eyes wandered down the table, sweeping over Malfoy. He was looking at an unknowing Jack, but he didn’t look annoyed or jealous, like he usually was. Rather, it was an emotionless stare, almost like he had simply zoned out and Jack happened to be in the way. I nearly flinched when Malfoy dropped his gaze, his eyes resting on Jack’s plate. He thought for a few more moments, until his gaze flicked up to meet mine. 

Almost immediately, I shifted in my seat, turning my head back to Katie. 

“I’m just saying, Pansy. I don’t trust you one bit with holding a burning wand to my head,” she sighed, Pansy shooting a measly glare at her. It took me a minute, but I eventually figured out they were talking about curling Katie’s hair for the ball. I was about to offer my curling wand, but quickly realized the lack of electricity that Hogwarts held.

The rest of breakfast was filled with Katie and Pansy bickering about hair on my right, and Jack and Blaise gushing about the new Cannons roster on my left. 

Saturday was spent in the dormitory, Katie scribbling down notes on a sheet of parchment as she went through each of our makeup looks, hair styles, and clothing. It had started snowing for the first time since the quidditch match, and we could barely make out the falling snowflakes from our tiny window. 

Currently, I was snuggled under my blanket on my bed, listening to Katie propose different eyeshadow colors to Pansy.

“I dunno, aren’t some pansies purple? You could do purple!” she suggested, sitting on the end of her bed, watching Pansy’s eyes sweep through one of Katie’s numerous palettes. “What do you think, Olive? Wouldn’t purple go great with a silver dress?” She turned her head, shooting me a look. Pansy had been particularly difficult about picking an eyeshadow look, making Katie’s typical amount of patience extremely tiny. 

Pansy had declared that she needed to look perfect for the ball, especially since she was going with Malfoy. I hadn’t talked to Malfoy about the note in herbology yet. When he had returned from his restroom break, he looked distant, and barely paid attention for the rest of the lesson.

“Uh, yeah,” I agreed with Katie, nodding from my pillow. Pansy sighed, tilting her head as she looked over the shades once more. 

“I guess so,” she reluctantly said, closing the palette and handing it back to Katie. Settling back onto her bed, Pansy wrapped a blanket around her as she watched Katie launch off hers.

“Your turn, Olive!” Katie said in a sing-song voice, a wide smile plastered on her face as she crossed the room to my bed. I sighed, already having had this conversation with Katie plenty of times. Over the summer, I had told her I thought a neutral look would look the best, but she waved it off, promising that we would find something better by the time the ball rolled around. And four months later, the ball was rolling around.

“I already told you,” I whined, pulling the blanket over my head. Katie groaned and reached up, yanking the warm fleece from my grip. She was surprisingly strong for a girl her size, both physically and mentally. “A neutral look would be just fine.”

She held up the palette to my face, closing one eye as she squinted the other. A few moments later, she shrugged, retreating back to her bed. “Fine.”

I chuckled, tucking my blanket back under my chin as I watched her scribble a bit more on the parchment. “Okay, so Pansy will do hair, I’ll do makeup. And Olive, you just do, something,” she winced, suddenly realizing that I had nothing to bring to the table. I laughed it off though, not minding the lack of responsibility. 

Since all day Saturday was spent planning for the ball, I was left with more schoolwork than I had expected. The morning was spent in the library, breezing through some arithmancy problems before moving onto a charms essay. By the time one o’clock rolled around, my hunger was more important than finishing the last few paragraphs. The first task was supposed to start at three, but I highly doubted I would be able to make it. Mentally cursing at myself for procrastinating, I left for the Great Hall, hoping they were still serving lunch.

The others must’ve grabbed an earlier lunch, as only Goyle was sitting at the end of the table. I joined him, the two of us falling into an easy conversation as I inhaled a sandwich. He was worried about impressing the Slytherin girl he had asked the ball, and I tried to reassure him the best I could. Honestly, when Goyle was separated from Malfoy’s influence, he let his hard shell break down and he wasn’t half-bad to talk to.

Lunch was quick, as I was desperate to finish my work as soon as I could. Waving Goyle a goodbye, I scurried back to the library, holing myself up as I finished the charms essay and moved onto a potions assignment. The next time I checked the clock, it read ten minutes to three, and the library was deserted. Figuring a change in scenery could help me jumpstart my brain, I stood and packed up my things. 

I passed nobody on my way to the common room, everyone having left for the task. Part of me regretted not going, but the other part didn’t find it that big of a deal. Besides, I was sure Jack was going to give me a play-by-play of everything that happened the second he returned. I muttered the password once I reached the stone wall, the door materializing. When I stepped through, I was immediately met with the back of Malfoy’s head. He was sitting at the circular table, turned away from me.

At the sound of the door opening, he turned. His arm rested along the back of the chair, his initial annoyed face quickly morphing into his normal one. 

“Oh, hey,” he breathed out, his eyes trailing down my robes before he turned back to the table. Cautiously, I let the door swing shut behind me as I crossed the common room to sit across from him. The table was fairly big, nearly fourteen chairs shoved underneath.

“Why aren’t you at the tournament?” I asked, setting my schoolbag down before I sat. Crabbe and Goyle had made a big show about going to the task last night, so I had assumed Malfoy would have joined them.

“Just didn’t want to go,” he shrugged, keeping his gaze on his potions textbook. Snape had assigned a hefty essay due Monday, and I had been working on it earlier as well. I bit my lip, my hand resting over the spine of my textbook in my bag. Debating whether or not to join him, my thumb swept back and forth over the cover as I thought. Maybe I could ask him about the note.

“Do you mind if I join?” Malfoy looked up at the question, and I nodded my head towards his potions book. His eyes flicked down, and he slowly shook his head. As I was pulling out my textbook, I noticed he was still writing with my hawk quill. Frowning, I brushed it off as I laid the book on the table, soon followed by a roll of parchment.

So far, I only had the introductory paragraph done, and I mentally groaned at the thought of writing six more. Twenty minutes went by in silence, though I occasionally snuck glances at Malfoy. He was focused, his head hunched over what he was writing. 

“Who were you talking about? In the note?” I asked, biting my bottom lip. I guess I was full of questions today, but ever since Herbology, I felt like I had a right to be. Malfoy’s hand froze, hovering above his parchment as he finally brought his gaze up to meet mine. I pursed my lips, just barely raising my right eyebrow.

“No one, it wasn’t important,” he shook his head, dropping his attention to his essay once more. I sighed, knowing it was a lie.

“Malfoy-” I started, sighed exasperatedly. Not knowing who he was talking about was more painful than guessing. His words had been so alarming, “because he isn’t who he says he is.”

“It wasn’t important,” he repeated, a bit more forceful. I huffed, sitting back in the chair, but surrendered. If he wasn’t going to tell me, I was going to figure it out myself, even as impossible as it seemed.

Forty-five minutes later, I was finishing the conclusion paragraph of my essay. Thankful to be done, I shoved it away from me, leaning my head back on the top rail of the chair. Staring up at the domed ceiling of the common room, I squinted in thought, bringing my bottom lip between my teeth. 

“You’re already done?” Malfoy scoffed in disbelief, which brought my attention back down to the table. I grabbed the roll of parchment, my eyes sweeping my writing.

“Mhm,” I hummed, wrapping my fingers around the edge of the parchment above my introductory paragraph. It would give when I tried to rip it though, the parchment not giving way to the force. Malfoy watched as I struggled, a small smile forming on his lips.

“Why won’t it rip?” I whined under my breath, my hands grasping onto the parchment. The paper was beginning to crinkle, and I groaned, knowing Snape would dock off points.

“Lemme try,” Malfoy held his hand out, his fingers beckoning towards himself when I didn’t immediately give the roll to him. Hesitantly, I leaned over the large table and placed the roll in his palm. He took it, laying it down on the library table. Biting the tip of his tongue, he placed one hand flat on my writing, and the other clasped the edge of the parchment between his fingers. He began to pull, and it looked to be a lot harder than what I had done.

“Watch it-” I started, but Malfoy had already ripped my parchment, but it tore directly through my assignment. My mouth dropped open in shock, my eyes slowly drifting from the ripped paper to Malfoy.

“I hate you,” I muttered under my breath, snatching the parchment from his frozen hands. Sighing, I realized I would have to redo the assignment, knowing Snape wouldn’t accept it.

Malfoy was about to say something, but the common room door got kicked open, letting nearly half of the Slytherin house in. Jack’s eyes immediately landed on the two of us, his lips parting. Malfoy turned, his expression settling into an intense glare as soon as he made out Jack’s face in the crowd. I wouldn’t have thought anything different about it, as he always looked at Jack like that, but my stomach turned when I saw Jack glaring equally as hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy sunday!! i hope you all enjoy this chapter, it was def fun to write :)


	30. chapter twenty-eight

OLIVE’S POINT-OF-VIEW

As I had expected, Jack had given me a full play-by-play of the tournament’s first task. When he barreled through the common room door with the rest of the Slytherin house, he had immediately walked over with a wide smile on his face, acting like Malfoy didn’t exist. 

Pulling me away, the two of us had sat on the couch as he relived the experience, emphasizing how wicked the dragons were. I hadn’t even seen Malfoy leave the common room, disappearing down the boy’s wing. 

The next few weeks were spent constantly studying, the looming threat of mid-year exams becoming more and more prevalent every day. Like he had last year, Snape was requiring us to brew a potion from memory for our exam. Remembering the procedure wasn’t so much a problem for me, rather the memorization of the applications was where I struggled.

Many long nights were spent in the library with the others, Malfoy constantly sitting with Pansy and Crabbe or Goyle, whoever had shown. I snuck a few glances every one in a while, but Malfoy’s forehead was always creased with stress, his tired eyes constantly sweeping back and forth between each line of text in his books. 

“Do you think he’d honestly have us brew Weedosoros?” Katie asked Jack beside me, a small scoff following her question. “I mean, what if a student starts convulsing right before the Yule Ball and can’t stop?” Her eyes widened in fear, like she was imagining it happening to her.

Jack shrugged, his eyes skimming down the page on the potion. “It’s easy to make in a small amount of time, just incredibly dangerous,” he waggled his eyebrows at her, causing Blaise to laugh at the contradiction Jack had emphasized.

I finally turned my attention away from Malfoy, resting my head on my hand as I listened to the others. It was nice to see Jack returning to his normal self, laughing with the others. At the beginning of the year, even Katie had noticed his change in behavior, and she had asked me if something happened at the World Cup. I told her everything I knew, obviously leaving out the part about his parents.

As the Yule Ball approached, the enthusiasm of Katie and Pansy had begun to rub off on me. Before I knew it, I was squealing along with them when we were trying out different hairstyles after dinners, our laughter bouncing between the walls of our dormitory. It was the night before Christmas, and Katie was officially freaking out about the ball. Her nerves transferred to me, my stomach in knots before I even went to bed that night. I was just going with Jack, so I couldn’t understand why I was so nervous.

When I woke the next morning, Katie had already snuck to the Great Hall, wrapping up our breakfasts in three napkins. Dumbledore had requested special Christmas breakfast items to be offered, so Katie made sure to grab a smattering of all.

“They can’t see us before the Yule Ball, it’s bad luck,” she claimed, setting one napkin on the foot of each of our beds. Jumping onto hers, she tucked her legs underneath her as she began to munch on a muffin. I yawned, pulling my blanket over my head in hopes for a few more minutes of shut-eye.

“It’s not a wedding, Katie,” Pansy scoffed as a reminder, but I could hear her bed creak as she sat up, reaching for her breakfast. The two began squabbling about the ball, and I tried my hardest to block them out under the thin material of my blanket.

The day was mostly spent telling stories in the dormitory, none of us stepping foot in the common room all morning and early afternoon. The ball wasn’t supposed to start until five, and Katie had declared that we were to start getting ready at three. Pansy and I went along with it, not wanting to upset Katie. It was funny, the way she was acting about the ball.

Pansy was telling us about her dog at home, who she missed dearly while she was at school. Over the past year and a half, she had never mentioned it for some reason, so I nearly choked when she mentioned it was a pug. They do say dogs look like their owners.

I told the two of them about my aunt Beth, sticking to relaying her stories from her travels as a young adult. Katie found it fascinating that she worked at the Ministry, and she wondered if her parents knew Aunt Beth, since apparently they worked in the same department. A few memories of my parents slipped out, and I tried my hardest to talk about them as if they weren’t dead.

When it was Katie’s turn to spill, she immediately gushed about Blaise. The two of them had been going strong since they started going out last spring, and honestly, I was extremely happy for them. Their relationship was the most normal fifteen-year-old thing to happen this year, which helped ground me when my thoughts about Death Eaters got too crazy.

“I think he’s going to ask me to come home with him after the ball,” she squealed, her nose scrunching up in pure happiness. “I mean, I’m terrified to meet his parents, but he swears they’re nice people.”

Pansy and I reassured her it would be fine, that Blaise would only bring her home if he was completely serious about it. By the end of the conversation, she seemed to calm down and her only nerves now were about looking good for the ball.

When three rolled around, Katie ushered us out of bed, and the madness of getting ready began. Pansy offered to do Katie’s hair first, and then mine. Over the last week, Katie had finally trusted Pansy to curl her hair with her wand. As Katie sat on the ground, I laid on my bed on my stomach, watching Pansy cautiously wrap Katie’s hair around her heated wand. Thirty minutes later, Katie’s hair was beautifully curled, the ringlets cascading down her back. 

Pansy did the same for me, but offered to French braid the front sections of my hair back, so they wouldn’t hang in my face. Katie applied her makeup as Pansy worked, taking extra care to keep the wand away from my scalp. Although Pansy could be slightly irritating at times, I made sure to genuinely thank her for doing my hair. I was glad I wouldn’t have to show up to the ball with my normal hairstyle, which was barely anything fancy. 

As Pansy did her own hair, Katie swiped makeup over my face, sitting cross-legged across from me on my bed. Twenty minutes passed until Katie finally shot a wide smile at me, her eyes sweeping over my face as she admired her work. 

It was nearing four-thirty by the time all of us had our hair and makeup done, only leaving our dresses left. I slipped into mine, able to zip up the back by myself. Pansy was wearing a lavender dress, a few ruffles around the sleeves and neckline. 

“Help,” Katie mumbled, drawing her hair over one shoulder as she stomped over to me, her heels hitting the stone floor loudly. When she turned, my fingers tugged her zipper up, securing her dress. 

“We look abso-bloody-lutely beautiful,” she huffed out, looking between Pansy and I. I chuckled, looking down at my dress. The emerald green color had a striking resemblance to Slytherin’s house color, but I didn’t mind. As long as I looked good, that was the only thing I cared about. 

“Shit, it’s almost five,” Pansy gushed out, glancing over at the clock on her nightstand. My stomach erupted in butterflies when she mentioned the time, the previous nerves suddenly overwhelming my body once more. Katie squealed, scurrying to her bed to grab her overcoat. It was double-lined, keeping the lost body heat in. I decided to go without, and the same went for Pansy.

The three of us looked over each other once more, keeping an eye out for any last-minute changes. With a single nod, we left the dormitory, marching down the hallway. A few other girls had left before us, blocking our view of the common room as it emerged. My stomach was flipping continuously, like I was rolling down an infinitely long hill. 

I knew my gaze should’ve fallen on Jack, my date, but the second I walked through the entryway to the common room, my eyes landed on Malfoy.

What I hadn’t expected was him staring back at me. Quickly, we broke the contact, and I dropped my gaze down to Jack. The boys were lounging about on the couches, all of them dressed nearly identically in black and white dress robes. I crossed the room to Jack, rounding the table that sat across from the fireplace. 

His eyes swept over my dress, before back up to my face. Standing up, he reached out for my hand, which I gladly took. He spun me around a few times, making my laugh ring out through the common room. It wasn’t noticeable though, as the others were pairing up as well.

“You’re beautiful,” Jack breathed out, finally dropping my hand. I blushed, the butterflies still bouncing around the walls of my stomach.

“Whatever you say, handsome,” I teased, reaching out and poking at his bowtie. It was tied neatly, the knot sitting perfectly straight between his collarbones. A smile erupted on Jack’s face as he held out his elbow, gesturing for me to take it. The group left the common room, making our way to the Great Hall. Malfoy and Pansy walked behind us, Katie and Blaise ahead. I wasn’t sure where Goyle or Crabbe were, but frankly, I didn’t really care.

The Great Hall had been dramatically transformed to fit the evening’s needs. Chairs and tables were scattered around the perimeter of the room, the house tables missing from the room. The normal amount of hovering candles had been quadrupled. Lush, green garlands hung on the stone walls, draped so precisely I was certain McGonagall had done it herself. Music was already floating through the air as we entered, climbing up the steps. My grip tightened on Jack’s arm as we approached the grand entrance, absolutely in awe of the decorations.

Many students were already milling about, everyone in high spirits after mid-year exams had passed. I waved to a couple other Slytherins I knew from classes, complimenting them on their dresses. Jack stopped to talk to a few Durmstrang boys, who were all dressed in matching red suits and fur-lined capes, clearly traditional to their school.

McGonagall had all students stand in two lines, flanking the edges of the entrance as the four champions walked by with their respective dates. I stood between Jack and Blaise, clapping politely as they approached the center of the Great Hall. Watching the first dance was a bit awkward, Jack had to hide his snickering in my hair as we waited for it to be over.

Dumbledore had spelled the ceiling of the Great Hall to release the gentlest snowfall, but the flakes disappeared before they could reach the ground. The three trees at the front of the room were astoundingly tall, the branches all coated with a hefty layer of snow. I couldn’t quite tell if it was real or fake, but it was beautiful either way.

Once the professors joined the four champions, the rest of the students began to flood onto the floor. Jack pulled me out, the two of us laughing as we attempted to keep up with the dance. It was a failed attempt, though, and five minutes later, we were sitting alongside Malfoy and Pansy.

Once the Weird Sisters had taken the place of Hogwarts’ orchestra, the crowd got a bit wilder. I spent most of the night jumping up and down with Katie, Blaise, and Jack, the four of us taking breaks every so often to relax. My feet were beginning to hurt, but I ignored it, and I was certain Katie and Pansy did the same. 

Whenever the band gave way to the orchestra for a slow song, however, Jack pulled me off to the side, claiming he needed a drink, or something to eat. I sat down at one of the tables, watching Katie and Blaise sway back and forth alongside many other couples. At some point, I had spotted Ginny with Neville, which made my heart swell.

I swore Malfoy never returned to the floor after he danced with Pansy at the beginning. He sat at a table a few down, leaning back as his eyes swept over the students. His legs splayed in front of him, one arm draped across his stomach as his other elbow was resting on the table. A scowl sat on his lips, absentmindedly tracing the rim of his glass with the tip of his middle finger.

Three hours of dancing later, I was exhausted, and nothing sounded better than falling face-first into my bed. Many other students had decided to call it a night as well, the crowd thinning out. Filch was left behind, him and Mrs. Norris walking through each table and collecting any leftover goblets. Dumbledore eventually joined him, assisting with his wand to help the process go faster.

The Slytherin group decided to walk back together. A real snowstorm had settled over the grounds, sending a chill up and down the hallways. Suddenly, I regretted not following Katie’s advice and bringing a coat.

“Oh, stop, my dancing was not that bad,” I laughed, reaching up and pushing Jack’s shoulder playfully. He stumbled a bit to the left, a goofy smile on his face. He had been in a good mood all evening, and he had even introduced me to some of the other boys from Durmstrang. For some reason, he had kept me distanced from them all term. Besides Ivan, of course.

Katie and Blaise had ducked into a dim hallway, Katie giggling as Blaise pulled her away from the rest of us. Goyle and his date had gone for a walk around the grounds, the current snowstorm was gentle enough.

“Yes, it was. And you know it, Miss Two-Left-Feet,” Jack teased, stopping to do a little jig, and then dramatically tripped over his own feet. I blushed, rolling my eyes. I had only stepped on his shoes a couple times, and only when we were turning. 

When I had stopped to watch Jack dance around, I caught a glimpse of Malfoy and Pansy behind us, the two trailing us back to the common room. Frowning, I grabbed onto Jack’s upper arm, pulling him along. He continued to tease me until we were nearing the dungeon staircase, but nothing was too offensive. As I was about to take the first step down the staircase, Malfoy cleared his throat.

“You know he got expelled from Durmstrang, right?” Malfoy called from behind us and I stopped, turning around. Jack halted as well beside me. He and Pansy were a few feet behind us, Pansy’s hand wrapped around Malfoy’s upper arm. She was snuggled in close to his side, a smirk on her face.

My eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, looking from Malfoy’s smug face to Jack’s calm one. 

“With all due respect, Malfoy, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jack said smoothly, taking a step toward him.

“Heard you performed unforgivables on other students, is that right?” Malfoy pressed further. “Taking after your parents, I see?”

I became even more confused, but Malfoy’s gaze never left Jack. I saw Jack’s jaw clench, his fists balling up at his side. The ground felt like it was crumbling beneath me, but somehow, I was still standing.

“Of course, you would never kill someone, would you, Simmons? Moody made it perfectly clear that one immediately calls for a one-way ticket to Azkaban.” Malfoy continued to taunt, and it began to become too much. I felt my heartbeat start to pound in my ears, the sound near deafening. “So, what, you just stuck to the imperius curse? Sometimes the cruciatus? Bet the first-years liked that.”

At the mention of the first-years, my heart twisted painfully, imagining the pain the young eleven-year-olds possibly went though. I screwed my eyes shut, turning my face away from Malfoy’s voice. His words were like arrows, shooting one hurtful one after the other before I could defend myself, letting me bleed out. Malfoy was tearing down my trust in Jack, and he knew it.

“Stop. Stop, please,” I whispered under my breath, raising my hands to cup my ears. I couldn’t handle anymore of what Malfoy had to say. He ignored me though, his gaze staying firm on Jack.

“Malfoy, I swear-” Jack started, but Malfoy cut him off with a bitter laugh. Pansy giggled beside him as well, but it seemed like she only laughed once Malfoy did. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was just as terrified as me.

“You swear what, Simmons? You’ll crucio me? From what I’ve heard, you’ve had plenty of practice already,” Malfoy’s voice echoed through the halls, finally tugging his arm out of Pansy’s grip. She stood awkwardly for a moment, until she crossed her arms over her chest.

My breathing picked up, suddenly feeling like I couldn’t inhale as much oxygen as my body needed. Wheezes started to leave my mouth, my shoulders racking as they worked as hard as they could. Jack’s head snapped to me, a wave of worry washing over his face. “Look what you’re doing, Malfoy! Look what you’re doing to her!” he nearly yelled, holding his hand out towards me. Malfoy ignored Jack though, taking advantage of the distraction that I was.

“Tell me, Simmons, when do you become a Death Eater?” Malfoy continued, taking a step towards Jack. Jack’s breathing had dramatically increased, and I could tell that it was taking everything in him to not explode. His eyes darted frantically between me and Malfoy, sometimes landing on Pansy. Hers were wide, staring at Malfoy’s back as he stepped forward. “When can you finally join mummy and daddy at the adult’s table?”

“Is all that true?” I whispered, and Jack tore his eyes away from Malfoy. Waiting a moment, I finally lifted my gaze to meet Jack’s. My eyes were filled with sadness and confusion, my bottom lip trembling as I tried to hold back the inevitable sobs. Jack’s eyes softened just barely, his eyes darting between the two of mine. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Jack’s eyebrows furrowed together, swallowing thickly as he continued to search my face. I shot him a pleading look, begging him to say something, anything. But he couldn’t form a word. 

“”He’s not who he says he is.””

I remembered the words that Malfoy had scribbled, so quickly written that it was almost like he was trying to write them before he stopped himself. It was Jack. That’s who Malfoy was talking about.

It was Jack. The only one at this school who understood how I felt when I transferred, who had unknowingly soothed my nerves on the boat with his jokes. The only one who continued to stick by my side throughout all of Malfoy’s taunting, the only one who could make me laugh when I couldn’t. The only one who had become something like a sibling to the only child I was.

“Good one, Olive. Taking a Death Eater to the ball,” Pansy joined in, smirking. Malfoy’s eyes flicked to her, almost looking surprised. The change from Malfoy’s voice cleared my head of the whirlwind of thoughts, but it only sent me over the edge.

“Shut the fuck up, Pansy,” I growled through gritted teeth, the sentence coming out of my mouth before I could even try to stop it. Malfoy’s eyes widened, and a small smile flashed across his face.

“Don’t be a dick, Malfoy,” Jack said, his hand coming up to rest on my shoulder. Malfoy’s eyes flicked down, watching Jack rub his thumb back and forth on my bare shoulder, but they were back on Jack a second later.

I wasn’t sure who to trust. I was closer to Jack, obviously, but I couldn’t help but feel that Malfoy wouldn’t say something this drastic without meaning it. With a shrug of my shoulder, Jack’s hand fell off and I crossed my arms. My face turned away, my eyes falling on the cracks of the stones. Jack let out a desperate sigh, but he didn’t make a move.

“Olive, please. I’ll explain,” he tried, muttering his words out. His voice was full of longing, begging me to turn around. Malfoy scoffed, but I ignored them both.

“I need some air,” I muttered, staring at the ground as I passed the three of them, desperate to get away. My heels clicked down the stone hallway, my legs carrying me as far away as I could get. It was still snowing outside, so I found a bench near the quad that was undercover.

I must’ve sat there for half an hour, staring at the falling snowflakes. It was freezing, but I didn’t feel cold. I was already numb.

He lied. Jack lied about so much, and I had trusted him. His parents hadn’t been cursed at the World Cup. They had been the ones in the riots, lighting up others’ tents and destroying portkeys. 

All the bad memories he had of Durmstrang were the ones he created for others. 

I looked to my left when I heard footsteps crunching through the snow that was accumulating on the quad’s grass. Malfoy was walking toward me, his hands in his dress robes’ pockets and his head hung. I quickly glanced back down at the stone between my feet, my eyes tracing over the outline of a brick.

“Can I sit?” Malfoy asked, coming to a stop a couple feet away. 

I nodded, scooting over a few inches. I tucked my hands under my thighs in an effort to keep them from going numb, goosebumps had already littered my arms and legs. 

Malfoy sat next to me, still for a second. A moment later, his fist nudged my upper arm and I turned, seeing him offering me a small bouquet of flowers. Daisies. My eyebrows knitted together, cautiously taking them from him. There’s no way he could’ve known that they were my favorite flower. They were loose, about fifteen bunched together and gently tied with a piece of string. 

“Got ‘em from Snape’s supply closet. Thought they might cheer you up,” Malfoy said gruffly, not looking at me. 

I twirled the stems around between my thumb and forefinger, the daisies spinning all together. Looking down at them, I remembered potions class in our third year.

“Such a shame, such pretty flowers,” I joked, brushing the daisies into the Shrinking Solution.

I bit my lip, genuinely shocked that Malfoy remembered. I hadn’t even said it to him, I was talking to Jack.

We sat side-by-side in silence for a few minutes, just watching the snow fall gently on the grass.

“His parents are Death Eaters, Olive. It’s just a matter of time before he becomes one,” Malfoy mumbled, staring out into the quad. Remembering the fight from merely months ago, I became even more confused. Malfoy had taken Jack’s taunting until he snapped, but he never revealed that Jack’s parents were Death Eaters as well. He must’ve known, but decided to not say anything.

“What, like you aren’t?” I scoffed, sitting up and shaking my head. “It feels like half of Slytherin are soon-to-be Death Eaters.”

Malfoy leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together.

“I know, but, just-” he sighed, twisting the rings on his fingers. “They’re not good to be around. I know it sounds dramatic, but-”

“Thanks for the insight, Malfoy. But I’ll be fine,” I stood, tugging at my dress to smooth it out. The confidence was fake, but he didn’t need to know that. Malfoy looked up, his eyes trailing up my dress. He didn’t say anything, causing me to awkwardly shift from one foot to the other.

“Let’s walk back together, everyone’s already left the ball. I’m not feeling like getting into trouble,” he said suddenly, standing. Even with the help of my heels, he stood a few inches above me, his chin tilted down. I nodded, letting him walk in front of me before following him down the stone hallway. I clutched the daisies tightly, like I was afraid of dropping them.

We walked in silence for a few moments, the only sounds were our shoes hitting the stone. Halfway to the Slytherin common room, he halted, making me stop as well.

“Come on,” he motioned with his head back to where we had come from, and I raised an eyebrow. “Just trust me.” 

I raised an eyebrow when he mentioned trust. Clearly, I wasn’t fond of trusting others right about now. But no part of me wanted to return to the common room, terrified of confronting Jack, so I followed after Malfoy. We walked side-by-side, Malfoy separating only to walk around that one pillar that struck through the middle of the hallway. A humorless chuckle pushed through my lips, realizing it was the same one I had almost walked into back in September. 

Malfoy’s hand wrapped around the handle of the door to the greenhouse, letting me through before he followed. Immediately, I was wrapped in warm air, soothing the goosebumps that littered my bare arms. He didn’t bother to light the candles, leaving the room dark. The snowflakes drifted down gently outside, settling on the glass of the greenhouse’s ceiling. It was beginning to really pile outside, small snowdrifts forming on the windowsills. Although my mind felt like a warzone, outside was peaceful and serene.

“I just thought it’d be warm in here,” Malfoy muttered under his breath, closing the door after himself. He was right, and I appreciated it. Sighing, I walked down the middle of the greenhouse, my hands trailing over the edges of the tables. I didn’t have the energy to move quickly, Malfoy’s attack on Jack had drained me dry. When I reached Sprout’s desk, I turned around, leaning up against it. I set the daisies beside me, leaving one in my grasp. Twirling it around between my index finger and thumb, I looked up. 

Malfoy hadn’t moved, still standing in front of the door. He had shoved his hands into the pockets of his dress robes, his head slightly tilted as his eyes bore into mine. I held his gaze for a moment, before dropping it down to the ground. As much as I hated it, Jack was still at the forefront of my mind, no matter how hard I tried to push him away. 

Malfoy and I stood in silence for a few moments, almost like he was allowing me to process what had happened. My heart had finally calmed, even though it felt like it had been ripped to pieces. There had been a hole in my heart since my parents died, and, unknowingly, Jack had tore it completely open.

“Your hair’s wavy,” My voice was barely above a whisper, causing Malfoy’s gaze to snap to mine. In the few minutes we had been in the greenhouse, his hair had begun to curl ever so slightly. Retreating one hand out of his pockets, he reached up and touched his hair gently, before he ran his fingers through it. 

“It’s, uh, the humidity,” he coughed, clearly a bit embarrassed. His hand gestured around the classroom, before he concealed it in his pocket once more. “Get it from my mother’s side of the family.” It was weird, not seeing him with the typical, Malfoy-style straight hair. I chuckled weakly at his response, finding it a bit endearing. It scared me sometimes, how he could go from hurling insult after insult to a vulnerable, nervous teenager in a matter of minutes.

I sucked my lips together as he started towards me, walking slowly down the aisleway. The daisy began to spin faster between my fingers, matching the increasing beat of my heart. I watched Malfoy approach, his hands slowly leaving his pockets once he was a few feet away. His eyes searched mine before they lowered, one hand tentatively reaching up to take the daisy from my grasp. I let it go easily, allowing him to pinch it carefully as he withdrew it. Spinning it a couple times around, he watched the petals flutter around one another in the newfound wind he was creating.

“Did you dance?” he whispered, but his gaze stayed on the flower. Confused, I tilted my head as my hands came to rest by my sides. My fingers gripped the edge of the table tightly, curling underneath the small ledge.

“Yeah, everyone did,” I murmured back, feeling like I had to stay quiet in the greenhouse’s current atmosphere. 

“Slow dance, I mean,” he corrected himself, finally looking up at me. But it was my turn to avert my gaze, suddenly feeling intimidated by his stare. I glanced over to the table that Longbottom sat at, trying to remember if I had slow-danced. Frowning, I realized I hadn’t, as Jack had always had some excuse when the band switched to a slower ballad. 

“Oh,” I breathed out, my eyes flicking back up to meet Malfoy’s. His gray ones were piercing into mine, the daisy now still in his hand. The petals had settled down, the bright yellow of the pollen pointing towards the ceiling. “No,” I finished, shaking my head gently.

“C’mon,” he mumbled, placing the daisy down on my right, laying it on top of the others. Taking a step back, he raised his hand out, his palm facing upwards. I raised an eyebrow, my gaze trailing up from his outstretched hand to his eyes. 

“It’s not gonna kill you,” he rolled his eyes, shaking his hand a bit more aggressively. Even in a tender moment, Malfoy’s normal side had to make an appearance. I sighed, looking around the greenhouse before I pushed myself off the table. It couldn’t hurt, and I felt like I deserved a slow dance the night of a ball. I placed my hand in his, Malfoy immediately wrapping his fingers around the back of my hand.

He pulled me in gently, his hand landing naturally on my waist. It was smoother than he had been during the practice with Snape, but I supposed that dance was forced. If only Snape saw the two of us now. 

“There’s no music, Malfoy,” I chuckled quietly, but I rested my hand on his shoulder. His posture dropped from the stiff, nervous one he had held, immediately relaxing under my touch.

“I could always pull a mandrake out of the soil, if you’re into heavy metal,” he actually joked, and a laugh pushed through my lips before I could stop it. A smile washed over his face at the sound before he brought his bottom lip between his teeth.

“You’ve got jokes now?” I teased light-heartedly, letting Malfoy dip our clasped hands downwards. The two of us began to turn in agonizingly slow circles, but it was okay. 

“I’ve always had jokes. You just don’t care to hear them,” he retorted, but his response wasn’t angry or offended. I didn’t have to see his face to know he was smiling. Chuckling, I shook my head, looking past his arm to see the snow still falling outside. Malfoy was unintentionally funny sometimes, like when he had gotten attacked by Buckbeak, or whenever he whined about his father.

We fell into a comfortable silence, the two of us swaying back and forth in the darkness of the greenhouse. If Sprout were to barge in now, I’d stupefy her myself.

Tentatively, I leaned my head forward, resting the side of my cheek on Malfoy’s collar. My head was tucked just under his chin, and if I really listened, I could hear his heartbeat. I ignored the fact that it was picking up, since mine was as well. I didn’t care if it was a moment of weakness. I needed to be comforted right now, and if Malfoy was the one to show up for it, so be it.

His hand squeezed mine a second later, but it wasn’t tight. It was a gentle squeeze, like he was comforting me in his own, nonverbal way.

I guess the thing about not dancing to a song is not knowing when to stop. Malfoy and I must’ve rocked back and forth for at least five minutes in complete silence, his hand squeezing mine every so often. It was calming though, a drastic difference from the yelling match that had happened a mere twenty minutes ago.

“Why did you do it?” I suddenly murmured, my impulsiveness taking control for a second. I didn’t need to say anything else though, I knew Malfoy would know what I was referring to. He continued to rock back and forth, but his answer came quicker than I expected, like he already had it on the tip of his tongue.

“Because you deserved to know.”

My breath caught in my throat the second his words hit my ears. There were times where I absolutely hated Malfoy, or the way he treated others, but he had a good conscience deep down. Even though it didn’t seem like it on the surface, he had the right intentions, though he rarely executed them in a proper order.

“I hated seeing you give your all to him, especially when he’s done nothing but lie to everyone,” Malfoy said, his tone lacing with anger as his sentence progressed. Unconsciously, his hand clamped around mine tightly for a second, before he relaxed his grip. One question had been bugging me since the moment we stepped foot in the greenhouse, and I decided to let it out.

“How did you know?” I breathed out before I could consider if I even wanted to know. Biting my lip, I kept my cheek pressed against Malfoy’s chest so I wouldn’t have to look up at him.

“My father,” he said simply, and left it at that. He sighed, clearly relieved to get that off his shoulders. I barely nodded, my cheek rubbing just millimeters up and down against the material of his dress robes. A few silent moments passed, listening to his heartbeat once more. It had calmed drastically, beating at a soothing pace, and ironically, at the same rhythm we were rocking back and forth at.

“When do you think we have to go back?” I whispered, already dreading the next time I would see Jack. Knowing him, if I even knew him at all anymore, he would try to resolve the issue right away. I needed time to think about it, and I prayed he would give that to me.

“Whenever you want,” he murmured, adjusting his grip on my waist. His hand slid over the silk, travelling up to my ribcage before resting back above my hip. I nearly shivered at the movement, which was much more intimate than I had expected from him. My exposed back raised in goosebumps, and if the boy couldn’t feel those, he had no nerves in his hand.

I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply as I tried to calm myself. Malfoy’s cologne filled my nose, and I thanked God he wasn’t wearing the scent that Pansy had gotten him. Last week, she showed me and Katie the cologne bottle she bought him, planning to give it to him for the Yule Ball. Frankly, it smelled like rancid mold and a wet dog, much too intense and I swore it burned my nose hairs. Even Katie had gagged the second Pansy turned her back on her. 

We stayed like that for a couple more minutes, Malfoy eventually only rocking us back and forth in place. I finally moved my head from his chest, looking up at him as my hand slipped out of his. “We should go,” I whispered, my other hand sliding down from his shoulder. He nodded, swallowing as he let go of my waist. 

I turned, gathering the daisies from Sprout’s table. Once I had the bundle in my hand, I faced Malfoy again, who was waiting for me a few feet away. His hair had become even more wavy, the ends curling up around his ears. A genuine smile wiped over my face, and I reached up as I passed him, my fingers brushing his hair behind his ear. 

As my hand was falling from his head, Malfoy suddenly reached up, wrapping his fingers around my wrist and halting the movement. My eyebrows knitted together, and I was forced to stop walking and face towards him. Gently, he lowered his hand, but the intensity his grasp never wavered. 

“If you do,” he swallowed, averting his gaze. “Continue to be his friend, you have to be careful.” I began to roll my eyes at the dramatic statement, but he stopped me by continuing. “I mean it, Wilkinson,” His tone changed from worried to forceful, his eyes desperately searching my face.

I nodded, trying to reassure him I would be alright. “Okay,” Once I agreed, he dropped my wrist, letting it fall to my side. I gave him a smile as I turned, Malfoy stepping right alongside me as we left the greenhouse.

We reached the common room within minutes. Malfoy had been right earlier, the halls were completely empty. He opened the door for the two of us, going through first before holding the door open for me.

“Well, goodnight,” he said, giving me a small head nod as the door swung shut behind us.

“Night, Malfoy,” I responded, smiling gently before turning and heading to the girl’s wing. I didn’t see Malfoy stay behind, waiting until I disappeared in the hallway, before he turned and headed towards his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did i or did i not stay up until 3:00 am writing this?? Also Malfoy’s POV will be the next chapter lol
> 
> Also this is kinda sappy but I just wanted to thank you all for your sweet comments and constant support :’) it’s really easy to get isolated in a time like the current pandemic, and so you all have no idea how much I look forward to talking with you all in the comments


	31. chapter twenty-nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter I’ve ever written by far (literally double what I usually write per chapter), so I’d definitely suggest grabbing some snacks and settling in lol :) I spent hours writing/editing this so please enjoy!!

MALFOY’S POINT-OF-VIEW

Snape had cancelled class, but I already knew why. Still, I lounged around in my dormitory, deciding to skip both breakfast and seeing my father. Crabbe and Goyle had left ten minutes ago, leaving me alone as I laid on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. My father was making more and more visits to Hogwarts, though he never told me the extent of what they were for. Since the attack on the World Cup, I could tell he was on edge, constantly watching over his back. 

Rolling my head to the left, my clock read nearly ten o’clock, which gave me a bit more than half an hour until Herbology started. The class was alright, though it felt like busy work most of the time. It should be an easy pass, as long as I didn’t completely blow it off. Sighing, I sat up, my legs dangling off the bed as I debated whether or not to leave. The hallways would be deserted, I could always go on a walk.

I grabbed my bag off my trunk, slinging it over my shoulder as I left the dormitory. As I was walking towards the common room door, I nearly missed Wilkinson. The top of her book peeked past the leather cushions over the armrest, the rest of her body completely concealed by the back of the couch.

Slowing my pace, I bit my lip as I decided on what to say. We hadn’t talked at all since she punched me in the nose, but I guess I deserved it. The two of us constantly inflamed the other, but that was just the way it was between us. Hurtful comments had left my mouth before I had even thought through them. I couldn’t lie and say it wasn’t enthralling and captivating, though. The way she came up with insults on the fly challenged my ability, us feeding off of the other’s insolence. 

It was like a fight between a cat and a dog, and the other never would accept losing.

I approached the back of the couch quietly, peering around the couch as I saw Wilkinson’s textbook long forgotten, shoved onto the table. She was watching the fire intently, and I caught her eyes trailing the escaped embers into the air.

“Can I ask you something?” I asked, coughing ever so slightly afterwards. My grip tightened on the leather strap of my bag, my palms suddenly sweating. Wilkinson lifted her head to see who it was, before she immediately returned to her previous position. My heart sunk as she looked away, finding the fire more fascinating than me.

“What,” she grumbled, her voice flat. I mentally swore at myself, trying to think of something to ask her. Sliding my bag off my shoulder, I tossed it on the couch adjacent to her as I rounded the corner. 

“What’d you get for number five on the charms homework?” I asked, even though I had completed the assignment three days ago. Crabbe had been scribbling down his answers this morning, so that must’ve been where the idea came from.

“True,” Wilkinson’s tone stayed flat, her gaze pinned to the fireplace. I rolled my eyes, already knowing that Flitwick hadn’t even assigned any true or false questions. My nerves eased though, so I leaned back on the couch, kicking my feet onto the table. 

“It was a short answer question,” I scoffed, the retort coming out before I could stop it. My eyes widened at my mistake, but it didn’t matter since she still hadn’t looked at me. 

“I’ll probably get it wrong then,” she shrugged, but the cushions of the couch impeded her movement. A small smile swept over my face as her shoulders relaxed, Wilkinson readjusting her head on her arm. My hand found the closure of my bag, unsnapping it before I pulled a few scrolls of parchment out. Her comment had irritated me though, I knew she wasn’t one to purposefully get a homework question wrong.

“Jack, just give it a try. Homework is basically free points, you have all the time to do it!” She would tell Simmons at the library when she thought I wasn’t listening, Simmons’ laughter ringing out moments later.

Simmons always crossed my mind when I wanted it to least, and it immediately soured my mood. “Why are you being like this?” I muttered, my tone matching her previous one. It was short, but begged for an answer. My fingers shuffled through my charms homework, double-checking that number five wasn’t actually a true or false question.

In my peripheral vision, I saw her lift her head and rest it on her stacked fists. I glanced over, purposefully meeting her gaze for what seemed like the first time in weeks. Her eyes were filled with something, but I couldn’t describe it. My bottom lip fell from being pressed against my top, and I felt my Adam’s apple bob as I began to further explain my question.

“Because-” she cut me off, and my mouth closed again. “If you haven’t noticed, you’re either extremely nice to me when we’re alone, or you’re a total twat,” Wilkinson glared at me, breaking the stern gaze I held for just a second. I quickly regathered myself, looking away. I hated that whenever I saw her, I saw Simmons right beside her.

“You’re the one that flaunts around with Simmons all the time!” I retorted, accidentally igniting a fight I didn’t mean to. My comment was desperate, my words had nothing to do with the Charms homework anymore. Wilkinson’s mouth dropped once I closed mine, sitting up and crossing her legs underneath her.

“Why does it even matter?” she sighed, the noise exasperated and tired. My heartstrings tugged as her hands flew into the air, shrugging as she waited for an explanation. I wanted to tell her, I really did. So my mind fought for the right words, but I couldn’t string any together. I averted my gaze, ironically falling on her potions textbook. Screwing my eyes shut, I tried to ignore the fact my father was a mere hundred feet away. 

I urged my brain to work harder, work faster. The neurons began shooting all different directions, never once converging on a coherent sentence.

“Tell me!” she exclaimed, moving one leg so it was dangling off the couch. I could see her shoulders drop out of the corner of my eye, and I had to look away. I hated that I had gotten myself into this position, and I hated that I was going to get myself out of it. Glancing further away, my gaze fell on the fire, watching the orange and yellow flames lick at the stone of the fireplace. 

Wilkinson was pushing me, making each of my buttons pop, and she knew it. A sudden sense of frustration washed over me, and I brought my left hand under my right. Pushing down, the sound of my knuckles cracking in succession seemed to jog my brain, resetting it.

“Mal-” she started, but my head snapped towards her, interrupting her sentence.

“Because!” It wasn’t an explanation in any sense, but it bought me a few more minutes of thought. Even more frustrating than her pestering was my inability to form a sentiment that I truly meant, and one that she would believe. Immediately, I regretted the sharp movement as she jumped, flinching away from me. 

“Because,” I repeated much quieter, hoping it would calm her down. She brought her bottom lip into my mouth, catching my attention for a moment. “I just - because, I,” I was scrambling, and her and I both knew it. 

My gaze lifted as she stood, an angry huff leaving her mouth. I silently pleaded her to stay, shooting her a look with my eyes full of worry. 

“Let me know when you can finish that sentence,” she responded, but her tone was reserved and controlled. The previous desperation was absent, and she was fed up with not getting the answers she wanted. My mind started to run at the smoothest pace it had since I had started talking to her, but it was much too late. Defeated, I let my shoulders drop, my gaze following seconds later. I could never think straight around Wilkinson, and not only did that frustrate me, it scared me.

I didn’t have to look back up to know she was leaving, the sound of the common room door closing echoing through the empty room moments later. Angrily, I flicked my Charms homework at the table, the pages immediately separating. They fluttered through the air, some landing on the table, but most of them settling on the ground. I sat like that for a few moments, my elbows resting on my knees as I tried to think of everything I shouldn’t have said, everything I could’ve said better.

The walk to Herbology was lonely, but I had gotten used to it over the past few weeks. When I passed that one out-of-place pillar, but eyes swept over the stone, remembering how I had pulled Wilkinson out of the way. I could’ve so easily let her stumble into the pillar, but my hand had shot out to redirect her before my brain gave the green light. It was an instinct, and something I hadn’t rationalized since.

Wilkinson was sitting by the window when I entered. The spot that her and I had argued for weeks over, both of us claiming it was the easier seat to daydream in. Longbottom’s huge head blocked Sprout’s line of vision of whoever sat there, so Wilkinson and I had a running quarrel about who got to zone out that day. 

Since the fight outside Potions, though, I had let her sit by the windows. It seemed like it was the least I could do. 

I slipped in quietly next to her, dumping my bag on the ground. Sprout was bustling around the front of the room, rearranging jars and ordering the various sizes of pots. We had been revising the bubotuber plants for the past week, which was nearly as bad as the flobberworms.

My gaze raised when Sprout walked over before class started, but her eyes were only on Wilkinson. Her hands grasped two large jars of the pus, the gross yellow-white substance mixing together inside.

“Olive, dear, could you run these down to Professor Snape’s office?” she asked, and I felt my heart twist. There was a chance my father was still meeting with Snape, and I knew that they wouldn’t appreciate additional company. I was about to interject to offer myself, but Sprout continued to talk. 

“I’d typically ask Neville to do such a thing, but given that he’s your head of house, I figured-” she cut herself off, which was best. Longbottom had turned around, staring at her back as he watched Wilkinson take the jars from Sprout. 

I barely scooted forward as Wilkinson shuffled behind me, my eyes too busy trying to glare a hole through Sprout’s back. There were only two Slytherins in the class, what were the chances that she picked Wilkinson on this exact day?

With Wilkinson missing from her desk, I finally allowed myself to look over. Her herbology textbook was laid out, the spine resting flat on the wood. My eyes skimmed over the notes she took in the margins, her quill work surprisingly decent. Then again, I swore she only ever wrote with the ones I gave her. They were basically a free pass when it came to learning how to write with a quill. 

“Herbivicus - in Sprout’s textbook”

“Repot flutterby bushes when leaves begin to curl inwards”

“Ask Aunt Beth about dragon-hide gloves”

My heart skipped when I read the last note, tucked away in the lower-right corner of a page. Wilkinson had been borrowing a pair of gloves from Sprout this term, ignoring me when I had offered her an additional pair of mine. She rarely talked about her relatives, and I swore she only got letters from her aunt. Even though it didn’t seem like it at times, Wilkinson kept those closest to her to herself.

“Mr. Malfoy?” Sprout’s voice shook me from my thoughts, making me blink a few times before I turned to her. She was standing in the middle of the hallway, her hands clasped behind her back as she awaited an answer. I must’ve looked extremely confused, as a few other Gryffindors began to giggle. My gaze dropped from Sprout, shooting them a scowl. They quieted, quickly turning around in their seats. 

“The four scents of the flutterby bush, please,” Sprout repeated her question, one foot tapping against the stone ground of the greenhouse. I swallowed thickly, racking my brain for anything I may have retained from the term. I didn’t mean to never study for Herbology, I had just assumed it came naturally.

““Does that say it smells like ‘home’?”” I suddenly remembered from a library session I had with Wilkinson. It had to have been over a month ago, but it felt like a lifetime.

“Uh, home’s one,” I answered, my lips falling into a frown.

“Very well, Draco,” Sprout nodded, seeming to let me off the hook with just one scent. I hadn’t expected her follow-up question, though. 

“And what does home smell like for you?”

The Gryffindors began to chuckle again, but I ignored it. My eyes searched the wood of my table, sweeping over the knots and holes as I thought. The manor could be cold and drafty during the winter, the candles of the multiple chandeliers providing very little light. I couldn’t think of a smell, nothing stood out in particular. I felt like I was running against time, Sprout impatiently waiting for an answer. Suddenly, I remembered the roses my mother grew in the back garden, even though they only bloomed in the summers. 

“Uh, roses,” I mumbled, and Sprout nodded, satisfied with my answer. She turned and bustled back to the front of the greenhouse, calling on Longbottom to finish what I couldn’t. He rambled off the other three scents, describing each of them as I sat back in my seat. 

As hard as I forced myself to, I could barely pay attention to Sprout’s lecture. My mind was filled with thoughts about how I was going to explain myself to Wilkinson. Sighing, I reached into my bag and tore off a small corner of parchment, retrieving my quill as well. I hunched over the desk as I scribbled out the only coherent sentence I had thought of yet.

“”Because he isn’t who he says he is.””

That’s what mattered. At the core of any argument I could form, any argument that Wilkinson would listen to, that sentence would be the only thing I could prove. My father had told me the things Simmons did at Durmstrang over the summer. His job at the Ministry came with sticking his head in wherever he could, and so he had been on the committee for Simmon’s transfer approval. His parents had appealed his initial rejection to Hogwarts, claiming that Simmons never performed half the things Karkaroff said he did.

Dumbledore had eventually joined the meetings, and allowed Simmons a second chance, given the fact he was merely thirteen at the time he committed the unforgivables. Hogwarts was to be a place for Simmons to restart, change his ways. 

And Simmons had seemingly done so. As much as I hated him, hated that he got to Wilkinson first, he was one of the few people in the Slytherin house who could make her genuinely laugh. Blaise always spoke highly of him, especially in his performance in quidditch games. Many of the first-years admired him, which was a tad ironic given the treatment he gave to Durmstrang’s first-years.

He came off as trustworthy and authentic, but I wouldn’t trust him if he was the last man on earth.

Wilkinson’s sudden appearance next to me snapped me out of my head. She dropped down on the stool, rubbing both her eyes. The jars were absent, though, so I assumed Snape had taken them. 

Biting my lip, I kept a wary eye on Sprout as I pushed the parchment across the table and tucked it under the corner of her herbology book. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her pick up the note, reading it. 

“Who isn’t who he says he is?” she whispered, leaning towards me. I looked over, confusion etching over my face a second later. We had just been yelling about Simmons in the common room not more than an hour ago, there’s no way she had forgotten. Suddenly skeptical, I snatched the note out of her hand, wondering if I had accidentally misspelled something, or even slid her the wrong note.

It was correct, though. All eight words lined up one after the other in the right order.

“What?” I nearly hissed, my gaze flicking to Sprout before tilting my head towards Wilkinson. She was still explaining her favorite repotting method, so I figured Wilkinson and I’s conversation was quiet enough for her not to hear.

“Who’s “he”?” she asked under her breath. My eyebrows knitted together, convinced she was joking. But the look on her face told me otherwise. Genuine confusion spread across her features and she gently shook her head as she waited for me to answer. 

There was no way Snape or my father had done something to her. 

“May I go to the restroom, Professor?” I blurted out, turning away from Wilkinson. She huffed next to me, clearly annoyed that I hadn’t answered her, but I brushed it off. I needed to get down to the dungeons. Sprout was startled by the disturbance, but she let me go. I nearly ran out of the room, clutching the note in my hand tightly.

I knew I should’ve taken the jars instead. 

The parchment crumpled under my grasp, and so I shoved it deep into my pockets as I ran down the hallway. My robes flowed open behind me, my feet carrying me down the dungeon staircase quickly. 

Snape’s classroom door was closed, but I didn’t care. Pressing both my hands against the wood, I pushed as hard as I could, sending the door flying back on its hinges. It slammed against the stone wall, but my father and Snape were already looking at the doorway. 

I could see my father’s teeth grind together in his closed mouth, his jaw ever so slightly moving back and forth as he rolled his eyes and looked away. Snape stood from his seat, his gaze set hard on me.

“What did you do?” I demanded, trying to restrain myself. I looked between them, waiting impatiently for an answer. Both of Snape’s eyebrows raised, his head tilting to the side. He knew something, I knew he did.

“Now, now, Draco,” my father started, standing up as well. He clicked his tongue, his palm wrapping around the head of his cane as he brought it to his side.

“Wilkinson comes back and she barely knows her name,” I scoffed, not caring if my statement was overdramatic. 

“Would you advise Professor Sprout to send a message before she runs one of her students down?” Snape muttered, causing my gaze to snap to him. “I don’t take as much of a liking to obliviating students as I thought I might’ve.”

It was Snape, he was the one who had wiped Wilkinson’s memory. I was certain he only meant to erase whatever she had seen, but his spell was more powerful than he had thought. She had no recollection of our conversation in the common room, that much was apparent. 

“I tried to volunteer myself,” my eyes darted frantically between my father and Snape, but neither of them were listening to what I had to say.

“And you failed?” my father spoke, raising his chin in the air. I scoffed, resting both my hands behind my neck for a moment. 

“I’m trying, just like I said I would,” I glared at him, trying to not break under his unwavering stare.

The World Cup attack had changed something in my father, he was now intent on separating Simmons and Wilkinson as much as possible. It was like I was the messenger boy, constantly observing the two of them and writing letters back home. 

“You know how much danger she’ll be in if the Simmons’ get to her,” my father said lowly, readjusting his grip on the snake’s head. I dropped my gaze from his, darting around the potions classroom. They eventually landed on the two jars of bubotuber pus, which grounded me. Wilkinson was in the greenhouse a floor up, completely unknowing of what was occurring in the dungeons. 

“We’re trying to assist you, Draco,” Snape said, taking a step towards me. “We need your help as well.”

My attention was caught by his movement, my head snapping towards him. Suddenly, a wave of anger swept over me. I was frustrated, simply put. This morning had been the first real conversation Wilkinson and I had held in weeks, and Snape had managed to erase all memory of it. I needed even more time now, thanks to his actions.

“Maybe if you didn’t obliviate her, we wouldn’t be having this problem,” I scowled, causing Snape’s chin to raise. His eyes narrowed, his mouth set into a firm line. He was very muted with his expressions at times, and this was no different. 

“Draco,” my father scolded, clearly embarrassed that I had taken such a tone with Snape.

My head began swimming with thoughts once more, trying to figure out how I would dig myself out of the hole I had pulled a clueless Wilkinson and I into. With one last statement, I left the two men in the classroom, giving my father a final nod.

“Give me until the Yule Ball.”

\---

Simmons and Wilkinson had grown inseparable, especially since he had asked her to the ball. Every second of the day, every free minute, the two were drawn together at the hip. In classes, during meals, studying in the library. And as much as I hated to admit it, I envied it.

It was impossible to get Wilkinson alone. I had snuck a few glances at her during dinners or in class, but her attention was always somewhere else. Since he had visited Hogwarts, my father had sent a few owls, all calling for an urgent response. My owl sat day after day in the owlery though, never spreading his wings to travel home.

I knew what I had to do, I just didn’t know how. Everyone was infatuated with Simmons, even Pansy had mentioned how funny he was at lunch once. Once a wedge between Simmons and Wilkinson had been placed, I hoped the rest would crumble as well. I had given myself until the Yule Ball, as the next day would be spent travelling home for the rest of the break. And I dreaded having to confront my father about what I had done.

I was sitting at the table in the common room, my mind demanding too much attention for me to blow it off and watch the first task of the tournament. Ever since Potter was picked, I had a general distaste for the tournament anyways. 

When the rest of the Slytherin house was filtering out of the common room, I had stayed in my dormitory until the entire dungeon was emptied. My homework was scattered in front of me, but I couldn’t focus on it. 

The door suddenly opened, the hinges slightly squeaking as whoever it was entered. I turned, resting my arm along the chair as my gaze fell on Wilkinson. Her head was down, pulling at her robe pocket that had accidentally gotten stuck on the handle of the door. A second later, she looked up, meeting my gaze.

“Oh, hey,” I breathed out, my eyes falling on the pocket that had gotten stuck. Turning my back to her, I reached for my quill. I might as well be pretending to be doing an assignment. In my peripheral vision, I could see her round the table, coming to a stop directly across from me.

“Why aren’t you at the tournament?” she asked, setting her bag down. 

Because I’m trying to figure out how to completely decimate your trust in Simmons. 

Instead, I shrugged, shuffling through pages of my potions textbook. “Just didn’t want to go.” My hands reached for the parchment laying beside it, shuffling through them as I found the sheet with my introductory paragraph. 

“Do you mind if I join?” Another question came from her lips, and I nearly chuckled, as she was already sitting down. I shook my head though, and returned to my essay. Academics was the only thing keeping my mind off my father’s request, and I had never been so far ahead in homework.

Twenty minutes later, Wilkinson asked yet another question. “Who were you talking about? In the note?”

My hand froze, my quill hovering above the parchment. I knew I couldn’t tell her about Simmons now, she wouldn’t believe me. I needed her to see his reaction, to watch his response as his lies finally tumbled down around him. So I blew it off.

“No one, it wasn’t important,” I shook my head. My tone was trying to be reassuring, but I doubt it was.

“Malfoy-” she tried, but I cut her off.

“It wasn’t important,” I repeated, a bit more forceful this time. Hoping it would satisfy her, I glanced up quickly, but she was frowning at her textbook, her arms folded across her chest.

Nearly an hour passed in silence, the two of us easily breezing through the essay. I was finishing up my last paragraph, my hand severely cramping after scribbling nearly four page’s worth of writing. Wilkinson beat me to it though, shoving her roll of parchment away from her.

“You’re already done?” I scoffed, not believing it. She reached for her roll, her eyes sweeping over her writing. She hummed back an answer, beginning to rip her parchment, signifying she was completely done with the essay. It wouldn’t rip though, for whatever reason, and a small smile formed on my lips.

I wasn’t happy that she was struggling, it was more entertaining to watch her nose scrunch up in frustration and her eyebrows furrow together in annoyance. 

“Why won’t it rip?” she whined, accidentally wrinkling the paper. I sucked in a breath, knowing Snape wouldn’t hesitate to remove points for presentation. 

“Lemme try,” I held my hand out, wiggling my fingers when she didn’t immediately hand over the roll. When she did, I laid it out, placing one hand flat over her writing to secure it. She must’ve gotten the heavier weight of parchment, the thickness of hers was already noticeable compared to mine. My fingers curled around one edge, attempting to rip it towards me. Gritting my teeth, I started to pull a bit harder.

“Watch it-” she warned, but my hand had already slipped. A tear went straight down the assignment, cutting her essay nearly in half. My mouth fell open in shock, staring at the now-ruined assignment. Honestly, I would’ve offered to rewrite it for her if our handwriting wasn’t so obviously different. Plus, I had other things on my mind.

“I hate you,” she muttered as she snatched the parchment back. I bit the inside of my cheek, knowing she didn’t mean it. About to offer a playful insult back, I was interrupted by the Slytherin door swinging open. Nearly half the house tore through the doorway, loud talking and laughing immediately filling the previously still air of the common room. 

Once I saw Simmon’s face, my own fell into a hard glare before I could even stop it.

\---

“What the bloody hell are you doing?”

I looked up at Goyle’s comment, confused as to who he was yelling at. His eyes were focused on Crabbe though, who had a Slytherin tie draped over his neck, and was currently tying it.

“We’re wearing bowties, not ties, you absolute nimwit,” Goyle scoffed, yanking the green and silver tie off Crabbe’s shoulders. I chuckled under my breath, turning back to face the mirror. Straightening my bowtie, I sighed, staring at the color in the reflection. Pansy had begged me to wear a silver one, and I had reluctantly agreed after her complaining got to be too much. However, I wasn’t sure she was going to be happy about seeing the white one on my chest.

Reaching up, I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to style it somehow. I had put gel in it this morning, but it was beginning to fall out. Honestly, I couldn’t bring myself to care enough anyways. 

Tonight was the night my father and I had decided on, but it was more so because I had procrastinated doing it the entire term. The ball was no longer intriguing anymore, I just wanted to get it over with. Snape was supposed to be there as well, keeping an eye out for me. 

Ten minutes later, I had my dress shoes on, sitting on my trunk as I waited for Goyle and Crabbe to finish up. Suddenly realizing, I stood, rounding my bed as I reached for my cologne bottle on the dresser. Pansy had given me one a few weeks ago, but it had immediately gone in the far back of my lowest dresser drawer. Smelled horrific.

Simmons and Blaise pounded on the door a few moments later, demanding to be let in. Goyle opened the door, and the four of us chatted for a bit while Crabbe ran around, trying to find his other shoe. 

Within ten more minutes, the five of us were lounged on the couches across from the fireplace. A few other fifth-year boys were sitting to our right, waiting for their dates as well. Blaise whistled, looking up at the entryway to the girl’s wing.

I knew my eyes should’ve been on Pansy, but they fell on Olive the second she emerged from the girl’s hallway. My lips parted, my eyes trailing down her dress as Simmons jumped up to spin her around a few times. She was-

“-Beautiful,” Jack mumbled, finishing my thought. I hadn’t even noticed I was still looking at her until Pansy cleared her throat, crossing the common room to me. 

“Where’s the bowtie I got you?” she immediately questioned, her gaze falling below my chin. I swallowed, looking over at Crabbe and nodding my head. 

“Crabbe needed it, completely forgot about one,” I answered, partially telling the truth. Crabbe was wearing the one she had given me, but I had passed it along to him weeks ago.

“Typical,” she huffed, shooting him a glare before turning back to me. Her hands rested on my shoulders, smoothing out any wrinkles in the material. “You look handsome.”

My gaze had unintentionally shifted to Simmons and Wilkinson again, the two of them laughing. Pansy pressed down hard on my shoulder, causing it to dip. My eyes flicked back to her, finally registering her compliment. “Oh, thanks. You look very pretty,” I gave her a half-assed smile, but she nodded, turning to Katie as the two of them began chatting. A few moments later, the entire Slytherin group was walking down the hallways of Hogwarts, heading towards the Great Hall.

The room had been transformed, but that was the last thing on my mind. As soon as McGonagall ushered us through the entrance, my eyes swept the room, searching for Snape. He was standing in the corner alongside Filch, who was swaying back and forth with Mrs. Norris clutched against his chest.

Pansy pulled me over to the left side of the entrance, standing on Katie’s left. Wilkinson was a few people down, talking with Blaise as we waited for the champions to enter with their dates. I glanced over at the Beauxbatons headmistress, who was unfortunately taller than the snowfall barrier that Dumbledore had set. Flakes were settling on her head, the white snow a sharp contrast to her dark-colored hair. Even Hagrid was trying to help, reaching up and brushing off the top of her head. 

I rolled my eyes when Potter walked by, Patil practically having to place his hand on her hip for him. Once the professors joined the champions, the rest of the students followed. Pansy pulled me out to the floor, but I barely remembered anything Snape had taught us. When I had danced with Wilkinson during the first practice, I was more pissed at Snape for forcing us together. He had known what happened in potions, and how delicate things were between us. I figured it did to please my father, but it wasn’t beneficial for my agenda in any way.

Pansy tugged me through the entire dance, muttering at me when to lift or spin her. A dreadful three minutes later, the two of us collapsed at a table, watching as Hogwarts’ orchestra gave way to the Weird Sisters. Simmons and Wilkinson ran over with Blaise and Katie, the four of them taking Pansy along with them. They disappeared into the crowd quickly, but I noticed Simmon’s hand on the small of Wilkinson’s back as he led her further into the mass of students.

That same damn hand could easily torture her, and she had no idea. 

Most of the night was spent at the table, my nerves not letting me relax. I shot Snape a few glances every once in a while, but he barely returned them. Rolling my eyes, I tilted my head back, pouring the rest of the pumpkin juice into my mouth. Swallowing, I slammed the goblet back down on the table, causing a younger Ravenclaw to look over. I shot her a glare, and she immediately turned away, shuffling to the entrance of the Great Hall. 

I wasn’t even sure why they were still serving pumpkin juice, it was a ball on Christmas Day, after all. 

Pansy joined me a few minutes later, whining about the pain in her feet. We talked a bit casually, mostly her gushing about her Christmas break plans. Although the vacation was cut short because of the ball, her parents had a trip to Vienna planned. I listened half-heartedly, my finger tracing the rim of the goblet. 

Simmons and Wilkinson joined us when the Weird Sisters played a couple slow songs, Simmons claiming he needed a break. I caught a quick wave of sadness wash over Wilkinson’s face when he left, watching his back as he walked towards the gigantic bowls of refreshments. She played with her fingers until Pansy said something, and the two of them fell into their own conversation. 

Three hours had felt like twenty by the time students began to filter out of the Great Hall. My stomach twisted in nerves as Pansy and I stood, the others standing as well. Blaise helped Katie into her coat, resting his hands on her upper arms as he placed a kiss on the top of her head from behind. The two immediately intertwined their arms, the first to leave from the group. Pansy snuck her arm around mine, clutching tightly onto my bicep. I let Simmons and Wilkinson go ahead, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw they weren’t all over one another. 

The walk to the common room was painful, spent trying to figure out when the best time to speak was. 

“Oh, stop, my dancing was not that bad,” Wilkinson laughed, shoving Simmons’ shoulder. He stumbled, but that shit-eating grin never left his face. Katie and Blaise had long been gone, probably making out down a hallway somewhere. 

“Yes, it was. And you know it, Miss Two-Left-Feet,” Simmons teased back, and I swore my eyes had never rolled harder. Pansy giggled beside me, leaning her temple on my arm as she watched Simmons imitate Wilkinson’s dancing. To be fair, he wasn’t exactly lying. Wilkinson had the worst rhythm I had ever seen, but it was extremely entertaining to watch from the side of the Great Hall. 

When they had stopped, Wilkinson glanced over her shoulder at Pansy and I. An immediate frown cast over her face, and she tugged Simmons along. They were approaching the staircase, and I knew I had to tell her now. My heart was pounding, beating against my ribcage. Pansy must’ve heard it, as she lifted her head off my arm and looked up at me.

“You know he got expelled from Durmstrang, right?” I called after them, and Wilkinson stopped. Just like I had predicted. Simmons stopped as well, and honestly, I’d be completely fine if I could shove him down the staircase now and call it a night. Pansy immediately fed off the negativity, a smirk sitting on her lips as she stared at their confused faces. Wilkinson glanced from me to Simmons, her eyebrows furrowed tightly. The crease between dug deep, and I wanted nothing more than to wipe it away.

I was aware of the pain I was about to put her through, but I needed to do it. To keep her safe.

“With all due respect, Malfoy, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Simmons said, his voice smooth as glass. His voice alone could send me over the edge, and I felt the spark of anger ignite within me. 

“Heard you performed unforgivables on other students, is that right?” I pressed, a snarl on my lips. “Taking after your parents, I see?” I could see Simmons’ face contort, the anger setting over his features as well. 

“Of course, you would never kill someone, would you, Simmons? Moody made it perfectly clear that one immediately calls for a one-way ticket to Azkaban,” I taunted, enjoying Simmons’ reaction too much. His jaw clenched, and I truly believed Wilkinson’s presence was the only thing that was keeping him refrained right now. “So, what, you just stuck to the imperius curse? Sometimes the cruciatus? Bet the first-years liked that.”

“Stop. Stop, please,” Wilkinson whispered, cupping her ears with her hands. I finally broke my gaze from Simmons, my heart tugging when I saw her. Holding it for a split second, I looked back to Simmons to continue my attack. As much as Wilkinson’s voice hurt, I knew it was working.

“Malfoy, I swear-” Simmons started, but I bitterly laughed. He had no chance for a rebuttal. I simply wasn’t going to give him one. Even Pansy giggled, reminding me that she was still there. 

“You swear what, Simmons? You’ll crucio me?” I chuckled in a taunting manner, anything to get under Simmons’ skin. “From what I’ve heard, you’ve had plenty of practice already.” My voice echoed through the halls, and I prayed to Merlin that no one else could overhear. It probably wasn’t the best place to do this, but I needed to make sure both Simmons and Wilkinson were together. I tugged my arm out of Pansy’s grip, taking a step towards Simmons.

Wilkinson began to breathe heavily, the sound audible. Her shoulders began to rack and they begged for proper amounts of oxygen, and I wondered if I had gone too far.

“Look what you’re doing, Malfoy! Look what you’re doing to her!” Simmons nearly yelled, his voice echoing around the hallway. He gestured towards Wilkinson, who was slightly turned away. I smirked, noticing that he clearly didn’t care enough to comfort her. So I figured it was a ruse, and I continued.

“Tell me, Simmons, when do you become a Death Eater?” I took another step, but Simmons’ didn’t move. Instead, his breathing had picked up as well, but his was in anger. He could control his lungs, but he couldn’t control his temper. “When can you finally join mummy and daddy at the adult’s table?” 

Wilkinson spoke again, her words quiet and broken. “Is all that true?” she whispered, her eyes meeting Simmons’. I bit my lip, wanting to scream at her, telling her everything I was saying was true. But I knew the only way she would believe it was from Simmons.

I watched as Simmons looked at her, his mouth opening and closing as he thought of something to say. Thankfully, nothing came out, and Wilkinson looked away, her eyes full of sadness and confusion. I saw her bottom lip trembling, and her weak attempt to calm it by biting down on it. 

The four of us were silent for a moment, the only sounds were Simmons’ sighs and Wilkinson’s breathing. 

“Good one, Olive. Taking a Death Eater to the ball,” Pansy suddenly joined, and it nearly made me jump. I hadn’t expected her to say anything, I had assumed she was too terrified too. Clearly, she had no prior knowledge of this, but she was happy to contribute her opinion. 

“Shut the fuck up, Pansy,” Wilkinson growled, glaring at Pansy. My eyes widened before a smile washed over my face. I couldn’t help but feel proud that Wilkinson had finally told Pansy what I, and so many others, had wanted to for so long.

“Don’t be a dick, Malfoy,” Simmons tried to reason, his hand reaching out and resting on Wilkinson’s bare shoulder. His thumb swiped back and forth, catching my attention. He knew what he was doing.

Wilkinson shrugged off his hand, taking a step away. He pleaded after her, begging for her to listen to him. I scoffed, but internally, I screamed at her to run away, ignore him for a time.

“I need some air,” she finally muttered, bowing her head as she passed Pansy and I. My head turned, watching her walk down the stone hallway. With each step, her shoes clicked against the stone, the sound bouncing back and forth between the hallway.

Simmons watched her leave, and Pansy coughed beside me awkwardly. She was rubbing her hands against her arms, but I ignored it. The minute Wilkinson walked out of sight, Simmons’ head snapped back to me.

“Fuck you, Malfoy,” he spat, clenching his jaw so hard I thought he was going break a tooth. Even Pansy stepped away from him, scared of his sudden change in demeanor. I smirked though, knowing I had successfully gotten under his skin, and broken the trust that Wilkinson had in him. And from what it seemed like, Pansy’s too. He wasn’t the great guy he made himself out to be.

I wasn’t sure why Simmons didn’t throw a punch, or at least hurl an insult back. Instead, he gave one last look in the direction Wilkinson left in, and then spun on his heel and practically ran down the stairs. Pansy and I stood at the top in silence for a few moments, her hand hesitantly resting on my shoulder. At her touch, I turned my head and she gave me a soft smile. Wordlessly, she nodded her head down the staircase, and the two of us headed for the common room. 

Simmons was nowhere to be seen once we entered, so I figured he must’ve stalked off to his dormitory. Pansy gave me a pat on my shoulder before she disappeared down the girl’s wing, swiftly enveloped by the shadow. Sighing, I collapsed on the couch, my head resting on the armrest as my ankles crossed over the other.

I had done it, though. Since the beginning of third year, I had somehow gained Wilkinson’s trust. We obviously had rough patches, but the look on her face ten minutes ago told me she believed me. 

I waited for her to return for thirty minutes, my gaze never leaving the door. A few other students had entered, my ears perking at the squeaking of the hinges. It was never her though, and even Katie and Blaise stumbled in together at one point.

When the door finally stopped swinging open every five minutes, I realized she was still out there, somewhere on the grounds. I stood, fixing my robes as I let myself out into the dungeons. Remembering what she had said during a potions class last year, I swiftly walked towards Snape’s classroom, praying he wasn’t inside.

He wasn’t though, so I immediately crossed the room to the supply closet. Muttering to myself, my hands frantically shoved through each precisely-organized jar, trying to find the bushels of daisies that I knew Snape kept. I’d fix my mess later, and I didn’t want to accidentally miss Wilkinson if she had decided to return to her dormitory.

Ripping off a small length of string with my teeth, my fingers struggled to tie a few daisy stems together, hoping it would hold. I threw the ball of string haphazardly back into the closet, pushing the doors closed afterwards. 

My gut was telling me Wilkinson had escaped to the quad, so I figured I would check there first. I had seen her there every so often, usually writing a letter or studying. The snow had already started accumulating on the grass, a few inches piled on top of one another. I could see her figure bent over on a bench across the quad, and I couldn’t tell how she wasn’t freezing. Her bare arms were exposed to the gentle breeze, and I knew her back was as well.

My shoes crunched the snow louder than I had expected, wincing as I knew she could hear me coming. So I hung my head, my fingers tightening on the grasp I had on the daisies in my pocket. When I looked back up, she was staring at the ground, her shoulders relaxed.

“Can I sit?” I mumbled, coming to a stop a few feet away. My eyes swept over her face, which was completely emotionless. Her makeup had stayed put, so I doubted she had cried. Wilkinson impressed me sometimes with how strong she was. She nodded, scooting a few inches over on the stone bench. Biting my lip, I sat next to her as my index finger ran along the stems, debating whether or not to give the flowers to her.

My fist moved before I could stop it, my knuckles nudging her gently. She turned, and I let my palm fall open, exposing the bunch of daisies to her. Her eyebrows relaxed as soon as she saw them, but they furrowed again a minute later. I hated seeing that look on her face, and I hated it even more when I was the one causing it. She took them tentatively, the tips of her fingers just brushing over my palm. Her touch sent a shock wave down my arm, fizzling out in my chest. 

“Got ‘em from Snape’s supply closet. Thought they might cheer you up,” I said, clearing my throat a few times. Looking back at the quad, I ignored her gaze. In the corner of my eye, I could see the daisies spinning around one another, her fingers gently twirling them. We sat in silence for a few moments, watching the snow fall. 

“His parents are Death Eaters, Olive,” I muttered, my heart skipping a beat when I accidentally said her first name instead of her last. With a small cough, I continued. “It’s just a matter of time before he becomes one.”

I dreaded the day my father had planned for me, though he never told me exactly when it was. Becoming a Death Eater felt more like something I had to do, rather than what I wanted to do. Over the summer, I had admitted that to my mother in a moment we had alone, but all she did was rub my back and press a kiss to the top of my head. Her breathing had been as shaky as mine, though.

“What, like you aren’t?” Wilkinson’s fiery streak came through for a second, making me look over at the outburst. “It feels like half of Slytherin are soon-to-be Death Eaters.” I nearly laughed at her statement, which was far truer than she knew. Leaning forward, I rested my elbows on my knees, beginning to twist my rings around my fingers.

“I know, but, just-” I sighed, debating whether or not to tell her the full truth about Simmons. I knew I shouldn’t, my father would have my head on the wall. “They’re not good to be around. I know it sounds dramatic, but-” She cut me off before I could continue, and I was partially glad. I was beginning to ramble, which I knew would end badly for me.

“Thanks for the insight, Malfoy. But I’ll be fine,” Wilkinson stood, and my mouth parted in defeat. Her hands swept over her dress, catching my attention. She looked beautiful tonight, and I regretted not telling her earlier. I tried to form words, but nothing came out.

I could never say the right thing around her.

“Let’s walk back together, everyone’s already left the ball. I’m not feeling like getting into trouble,” I burst out, standing as well. I also wasn’t feeling like seeing Simmon’s grimy little face again tonight, and I was certain Wilkinson didn’t either. Looking down at her, she paused for a second before she nodded. I stepped away from the bench first, glancing over my shoulder to make sure she was following. We walked the long way around the quad, I figured she wouldn’t want to trek across the snow on the grass. 

We were nearing the common room when my head finally decided to keep her away from the others for just a few moments. I felt like I owed her a good ending to her night. Halting to a stop, my movement caused her to slow and look back at me. 

“Come on,” I motioned back the way we came with my head, but she only responded with a raised eyebrow. “Just trust me.”

They probably weren’t the right words to use, but Wilkinson eventually stepped towards me. The two of us retraced our steps back down the hallway as I led her to the greenhouse. Even though the combination of the humidity and temperature was deplorable during class, I couldn’t not notice the goosebumps that had never left Wilkinson’s arms. 

I let Wilkinson into the greenhouse first, following right after. Sprout left the candles unlit when she wasn’t inside, and I didn’t bother to light them. “I just thought it’d be warm in here,” I muttered as I closed the door behind me. I watched Wilkinson walk down the aisle, her fingertips skimming over the edges of the tables. 

My stomach had never been flipping more than it had right now. Wilkinson came to a stop, leaning up against Sprout’s desk as she looked at me. Her fingers were still playing with a singular daisy, the others resting on the desk. I bit my lip, my mind a stampede of thoughts. My hands were concealed by the pockets on my dress robes, but the pads of my fingers were nervously tapping against my thighs. Wilkinson broke our eye contact, and I knew Simmons was on her mind again. I looked out the window, seeing a couple of students scurry by, the boy shielding the girl from the snow. 

“Your hairs wavy,” Wilkinson suddenly said, and my head snapped to hers. Embarrassed, my hand raised to rest on my head and then I raked my fingers through the locks in an attempt to brush out the waves. I hated when my hair looked like that, but Wilkinson’s small smile soothed the uneasiness in my stomach. 

“It’s, uh,” I coughed, clearing my throat. “The humidity.” My hand waved around the air, blaming the greenhouse. “Get it from my mother’s side of the family.” Coughing once more, I brought a closed fist to my mouth. My hand wrapped around to the back of my neck, rubbing the skin. Averting my gaze, my mind flipped through each scenario I had thought about earlier, before the ball had even started. I had a chance, and I wasn’t going to let it slip away.

I tucked my hand back into my pocket as I walked down the aisleway, approaching Wilkinson. Her eyes widened as the twirling halted, the daisy now still in her grasp. My eyes swept over hers for a moment, taking in the numbness behind them. I felt horrible for doing what I had to her, that I had taken away the normal sparkle behind her eyes.

My gaze dropped on the daisy, my hand slowly retreating from my pockets as I reached to take it from her. She let it go easily, the stem slipping through her fingertips without any resistance. I gathered any ounce of courage inside of me as I focused on spinning the daisy like she had.

“Did you dance?” I whispered, not trusting myself to look at her. I knew she hadn’t, Simmons had always dragged her to the side of the Great Hall whenever the upbeat music gave way to a slower song. It took everything in me to not yell at him, telling him he should be dancing with his goddamn date at a ball. But I had wanted to be the one she was holding onto, the one she was beaming at.

“Yeah, everyone did,” she said nonchalantly, and I had to keep myself from rolling my eyes. She was avoiding the real question, and her and I both knew it.

“Slow dance, I mean,” I pretended to correct myself, giving her no way to weasel out of an answer now. She looked past me, her eyes falling on something more important.

“Oh,” she breathed out, her voice extremely small. I could see her chest raising with each shaky breath, her jaw clenching as she thought. “No,” she finally finished her sentence, shaking her head as she brought her gaze back to me. 

“C’mon,” I mumbled, tossing the daisy on the others before I took a step back. When I held out my hand, she raised a suspicious eyebrow, causing my heart to plummet. I had to remind myself that she was in the greenhouse with me, that she had willingly joined me. She was here for a reason, even if she didn’t know exactly what it was.

“It’s not gonna kill you,” I rolled my eyes, gesturing my hands towards her once more. My tone was a bit more aggressive than I had meant for it to be, my frustration had taken over for a moment. She sighed, but unknowingly tugged my heart strings when she placed her hand in mine. Instinctually, my fingers curled around the back of her hand and I tugged her towards me gently. She was mere inches away, looking up at me through her eyelashes. My hand rested on her waist, cupping around the curve naturally. I heard her suck in a tiny breath, but she slid her hand onto my shoulder moments later. My tight shoulders relaxed at Wilkinson’s touch, giving into her.

I was finally holding her like I had wanted to for months.

“There’s no music, Malfoy,” she snickered, but her comment was light-hearted. It seemed like it was the first time she had let her guard down in the greenhouse, her natural self poking through. She didn’t know it, but her small comment had finally released the butterflies that were fighting in my stomach. I was at ease now, feeling like the two of us were the only people on the grounds.

“I could always pull a mandrake out of the soil, if you’re into heavy metal,” I chuckled, and she rewarded me with her laugh. A smile broke out on my face before I could stop it, but I didn’t want to. She grinned up at me, waggling her eyebrows.

“You’ve got jokes now?” she teased, and I began to spin us around. Given the narrowness of the aisleway, we didn’t have much room, but it didn’t matter.

“I’ve always had jokes. You just don’t care to hear them,” I scoffed, the smile staying on my face. She gave me another chuckle, averting her gaze to look out the window. We swayed back and forth for a few moments, my heart finally settling into a normal rhythm. 

When she laid her cheek on my collar though, my heartbeat skyrocketed. The butterflies flew back, and I swallowed thickly at her movement. It was small on the outside, but the way she tucked her head under my chin made me feel like I was falling off a cliff. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to calm my heart as I knew she could hear it. 

I tightened my grip around her hand for a moment, letting her know that it was just us. That if Simmons dared to barge in now, I wouldn’t hesitate to take care of him.

I guess the thing about not dancing to a song is not knowing when to stop. I continued to dip our hands up and down, our feet shuffling over the stone as we moved in circles. Wilkinson never once stepped on my foot. I continued to squeeze her hand, smiling when I felt the corner of her mouth curl up against my bowtie.

“Why did you do it?” she murmured, finally asking the question that I had begged her not to. I had an answer ready though, one that had been on the tip of my tongue for weeks. 

“Because you deserved to know.”

It was an honest answer. For so long, I had gone back and forth between the reason why I hated Simmons. He was close to Wilkinson, the first friend she had made at Hogwarts. It might’ve not been my place, but I knew she deserved to know the secrets he hid from everyone.

“I hated seeing you give your all to him, especially when he’s done nothing but lie to all of us,” I continued, my jaw clenching at the thought of Simmons’ ability to manipulate. Not only Wilkinson, but Blaise, Pansy, Katie, the list went on.

“How did you know?” she breathed out. If it was possible, she pressed her cheek even tighter to my chest, and her hand tightened in mine for a brief moment.

“My father,” I answered simply, deciding to keep the Simmons’ trial from her, certain that my father would’ve appreciated it. She had already had enough information thrown at her tonight, she didn’t need any more.

We rocked back and forth for a few more moments, my chin eventually resting on the top of her head. Our breathing fell into sync, signifying we were comfortable with one another.

“When do you think we have to go back?” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. I bit my lip, trying to think of an answer that would satisfy her. Even though I hadn’t seen Simmons since he disappeared down the boy’s wing, there was no way I could be certain that he wasn’t waiting for our return.

“Whenever you want,” I murmured, unconsciously readjusting my grip on her waist. My hand slid up the silk, my thumb brushing over her ribcage before I brought it back to rest above her hip. Her back raised in goosebumps, my fingertips trailing over the small bumps. I smiled to myself, flicking my eyes out the window.

Hearing her inhale deeply, I retreated my chin from her head, glancing down to make sure she wasn’t crying. I wasn’t the best for comforting others, so part of me prayed she wasn’t. She must’ve just needed a deep breath, so I continued to rock us back and forth. 

A few moments later, I felt her head leave my chest, taking her warmth with it. “We should go,” she whispered, her hand sliding from my shoulder. I swallowed thickly, letting go of her waist as she turned around. Glancing around her, I saw her gather the daisies and a small smile tugged at my lips. At least I had grabbed the right flowers. 

As I waited for her to join me, I tucked my hands into my pockets, flattening my sweaty palms against the material. I hoped she hadn’t noticed when I was holding hers. The hair around my ears was tickling the skin, the humidity curling the ends even more. I really should get a haircut when I returned home.

I was about to turn to lead Wilkinson out of the greenhouse when she reached up, her touch gentle as she tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. My stomach felt like it had fallen through the dungeons, the sudden empty feeling making me think it had collapsed on itself. As she passed, her hand fell from my head and without thinking, my hand reached up to grasp her wrist. My eyes glazed over her parted lips, wanting nothing more than to kiss her. 

But I was scared. I was too scared of cracking the fragile trust we had. 

I swallowed instead, pushing the feeling down my throat. “If you do continue to be his friend, you have to be careful,” I warned, and she rolled her eyes playfully. “I mean it, Wilkinson.”

Oh, if she only knew how much I meant it. She had to be careful, the Simmons’ were far more powerful than they let on.

She gave me a small nod of reassurance, mumbling a small “okay.” I dropped her wrist at her acknowledgement, and the two of us left the greenhouse. We reached the common room sooner than I’d like, and I anticipated the worst as I pushed the door open. I walked through first, telling myself I’d protect Wilkinson if Simmons was waiting. The room was empty though, only the fire crackling. 

“Well, goodnight,” I cleared my throat, shutting the door behind Wilkinson. She gave me the gentlest of smiles as she nodded, starting for the girls’ wing.

“Night, Malfoy,” she responded, finally turning on her heel and disappearing down the hallway. I watched her leave, listening hard for the click of her door lock before I headed for my own dormitory.


	32. chapter thirty

Katie and Pansy were already asleep when I had returned from the greenhouse, their dresses long forgotten on the floor of the dormitory. Quietly, I slipped out of mine, draping it over my trunk so the material wouldn’t wrinkle. Before I flicked off my wand, I placed the daisies on my nightstand, the stems tumbling over one another as they settled. 

It still astounded me how Malfoy had remembered something so insignificant. 

The next morning when I woke, Katie was frantically packing her trunk, throwing in any clothing item she could find. Pansy was sitting on the end of her bed, her feet resting on her trunk as she waited for Katie to finish. I sat up, rubbing my eyes with the heels of my palms as I chuckled at Katie’s swearing, watching her hurl things into the open trunk from across the room.

Pansy caught my eye for a second, biting down on her bottom lip. We both only nodded at one another, not mentioning what had happened last night. I was sure Katie had no idea, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell her, at least not right now. She deserved a relaxing Christmas break. 

Ten minutes later, the two of them had left the dormitory, leaving me alone. Since I would’ve only been home for a week at most, I decided to stay behind. Athena was on her way to Aunt Beth right now, explaining that I needed the time to study. I didn’t want her to worry, and I promised I would be home for Easter break. She had sent a small bag of chocolates a few days before the Yule Ball, wishing me a merry Christmas. 

This year’s Christmas had been an emotional rollercoaster. Besides the intensity of Malfoy’s words and the sudden fear I had of Jack, everything else that day was happy and rosy. I had experienced two drastic extremes. Malfoy had snuck his way into my dreams last night, my subconscious replaying our dance in the greenhouse over and over. Although I had expected dancing without music to be much more awkward, his mere presence was enough. The two of us moved at our own rhythm, yet were still in sync with one another.

I had never tripped over Malfoy’s feet once, which I felt like meant more than it let on. At the Yule Ball, I couldn’t stop stumbling over Jack’s, even when we were simply returning to the table for refreshments.

I hadn’t seen Jack since I left him on the staircase last night. For most of the day, I stayed curled up under my blankets, dreading the inevitable moment I would have to talk to him. I had remembered him getting excited about seeing his parents after Yule Ball, and I prayed that he had stuck to his plans. In the late afternoon, my stomach was becoming angry with the lack of food, and I eventually slipped out of bed. I pulled on a Slytherin sweater and a pair of jeans before I shuffled to the Great Hall, my gaze never once leaving the stone floor. 

As I swirled my spoon aimlessly through the soup, my mind wandered to Jack again. I hated myself for not recognizing his deceit earlier. There were so many times where I was so close to pulling the truth from him, but he actively decided to lie, and I had believed him.

“Yeah. Yeah, of course they did. Just had a different portkey, you knew that.” 

“They didn’t have his favorite dessert at the feast,” Jack offered the first-year a small smile, resting a hand on his shoulder as he squeezed it reassuringly.

“Apparently, they got separated from the Levski’s in the chaos, and some Death Eater got them alone, and performed the cruciatus curse on both of them. Just for the hell of it.”

“Don’t worry about me, alright? I think I’m just stressed since all my old friends and headmaster are here. It’s bringing back all the bad memories.”

“Does that man not realize that some students could’ve seen those curses performed in real life? Outside of a stupid-ass classroom?”

And the one that I don’t think I could ever forget.

“You know how much I trust you, right, Olive?”

It was going to be different in the new year, whether the others knew it or not.

\---

I barely left my bed over the next couple days, simply not wanting to run the risk of running into Jack. Even two days into break, I wasn’t completely sure if he had left or not. It was nearing the end of dinner on a Friday, so I finally drug myself out of bed. The Great Hall was nearly empty, the only other students were those from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, and a scattering of Hogwarts students at their tables. I sat alone at the end of the Slytherin table, poking at my roast chicken. My stomach growled, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat. 

I’d been ignoring Ivan as well, the few times I saw him. I had assumed Jack had told him about what Malfoy said, so I thought it’d be better if I kept my distance. Finally stabbing a few carrots, I raised the fork to my lips and began to chew, resting my cheek on the palm of my hand. 

“Hey.”

Looking up, I saw Malfoy standing across from me. A striped green and silver sweater covered his upper body, black trousers on his legs. His hair was messy, but not wavy like I liked it. His hands were shoved into his pockets, and his gaze swept down the otherwise empty table.

“Hi,” I sighed, sitting up straight and gesturing my head towards the bench, giving him permission to sit. He did so, immediately reaching for a plate. “I didn’t know you stayed.”

He shrugged, using a pair of tongs to drop a few chicken thighs on his plate. “The journey home was too long.” He looked over at me briefly, a small smile on his lips. “How’re you feeling?”

I nearly scoffed, but I wasn’t angry. “Alright.”

Malfoy raised an eyebrow like he didn’t believe me, but he dropped the topic. “What’d you get on the mid-year potions exam?”

“Ninety-two,” I answered honestly, using my fork to pierce through a shred of meat. HIs small smile grew, now taking up his entire face. “What?” I pushed, my lips curling into a grin to match his.

“Nothing,” he raised one shoulder, pouting out his bottom lip. “I just got a ninety-three.”

He was egotistical as always, but this time I didn’t mind it. “You’re such a teacher’s pet.”

“I’ll have you know I’m right behind Granger in our grade,” he scoffed, beginning to cut his chicken into smaller pieces. A playful glint still shone in his eyes, a strand of hair falling from the rest and dangling over his forehead.

“I’ll have you know I outscored you in Potions last year,” I countered, smirking as I watched his mouth fall open in shock.

“That was you?” He stopped from cutting the chicken, resting his wrists on the edge of the table as he stared at me. 

Laughing, I nodded my head. I know I had told myself that I didn’t care if Malfoy never knew, but his reaction was better than I had imagined. “Learned from the best.”

Malfoy’s cheeks blushed pink at the compliment for a quick second before he cleared them by coughing. He shook his head in a joking manner as he looked up at me. The rest of dinner was filled with awful puns and stories, the two of us forgetting about everyone and everything around us.

Thirty minutes later, Malfoy took my empty plate as I stood, stacking it on top of his before placing our cutlery on top. He must’ve thought I hadn’t noticed, too busy with looking around the Great Hall. 

“Why do you do that?” I asked, fixing the collar of my sweater as I waited for him to finish. He looked up from where he was pushing the stack of dirty dishes towards the center of the table. Shrugging, he straightened his spine and joined me at the end of the table.

“No reason,” he said simply, but I eyed him as we walked alongside one another. I had always guessed it was to help the elves, but Malfoy refused to admit it. The walk to the common room was quick, the cold draft in the corridors forcing us to move faster than normal. When we entered through the door, we were met with an empty room. As always, the fire was rampant in the fireplace, warming the common room. 

“Uh, goodnight, I guess,” he said, raising one hand to rub the back of his neck. My eyes glanced towards the grandfather clock, reading that it wasn’t even eight o’clock yet. Rolling my eyes, I looked back at Malfoy with a raised eyebrow.

“You go to bed at eight?” I scoffed, leaning against the back of the couch. Before he could answer, I let myself fall backwards, twisting my spine so I landed across the cushions. Malfoy’s face entered my vision, worry spread over his features as he peered over the top of the couch.

“No,” he answered, a small smile on his lips as he rounded the armrest. I pulled my knees upwards, letting him sit at the end of the couch. Wiggling upwards, I laid my head on the armrest, looking over at him. Malfoy had one elbow perched on the armrest, holding up his head as he looked down the couch at me. 

“Tell me a story,” I requested, lifting my head for a moment so I could slip my interlocked hands underneath. Closing my eyes, I waited for him to speak, my knees knocking together as I moved my legs back and forth. 

“I don’t have any stories,” he slowly said, and I could envision the scowl on his face. Extending one leg, I rested it over his lap.

“Think harder,” I simply said, readjusting my hands so they were more comfortable. He was quiet for a few moments, and I could sense his hands hovering over my shin before they finally landed. Drumming his fingers on my leg, I heard the leather squeak as he shifted, leaning further back into the cushion. 

“Well, there is this one,” he chuckled, his fingers coming to a stop. I hummed, urging him to continue. “I had gotten Potter, Granger, and Weasley into trouble when we were first-years, but Professor Hardass threw me into detention with them.”

I raised my head at his mention of the professor, genuinely confused as to who he was talking about. “McGonagall,” he corrected himself before he continued.

“Anyways, detention was helping Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest. The oaf,” I cut him off at the nickname, digging my heel into his thigh. He winced, slapping at my ankle gently. “Had me go with Potter. Came across this thing drinking from a unicorn.”

Malfoy stopped talking, his fingers tapping against my leg once more. “That’s all?” I questioned, not lifting my head. Staring at the ceiling, I watched the candles flicker in the chandelier. 

He shrugged, nodding. “Now you tell me one.”

I bit my lip, trying to think of a good enough one. My other leg rested in his lap, my ankles crossing. His finger absentmindedly traced the seam of my jeans, up and down my calf. It sent shivers up my spine, but I tried to brush it off. 

“I hope you don’t take offense, Malfoy, but that was the worst story I’ve ever heard,” I laughed, the sound echoing around the empty common room. Malfoy scoffed, pinching at my shin. I yelped, sitting upright and I slapped the back of his hand. A smile was on his face though, he seemingly wasn’t offended by my comment.

My eyes glazed over his face for a moment before I laid back down, readjusting my position. 

“Well, the first time I saw magic was when my aunt Beth visited when I was eleven,” I started, clasping my hands over my stomach. Malfoy looked over, his hands stilling. “When my mum told her to do the dishes after dinner, she used her wand. I swear, the sight of seeing a pot move by itself terrified little me,” I chuckled, thinking of the memory. Malfoy let out a small laugh, and I could tell he was envisioning it as well. 

“And from then on, I was determined to figure out how the magical creatures and fairies in the books I read were real,” I finished the small story, fiddling with my thumbs. A small huff of admiration left his nose as he listened to the ending.

“Are your parents muggles or something?” he asked, his fingers beginning to trace the seams of the denim again. I shook my head, propping myself up on my elbows so I could look at him.

“No, they just don’t use magic,” I shrugged. It was the truth, they hadn’t. I just decided to spare the death part. 

“Hm,” he hummed, frowning like he was thinking about it. He got lost in thought for a second, so I nudged him again with my heel, bringing his attention back to me. 

“Your turn,” I smiled, gently reminding him. He scoffed, rolling his eyes. His head laid back against the couch cushion, staring at the ceiling.

“My stories aren’t good enough for you, apparently,” he retorted, his head eventually rolling to the left so he could look at me. I decided to bite my tongue, soaking up the moment. His gray eyes pierced into mine, the small wrinkles by the corner of his eyes appearing when he smiled.

“Maybe you should have better stories,” I responded teasingly, flicking my eyebrows up to rival his statement. 

“That requires better memories,” he said, and although I don’t think he meant for them to be sad, his words tugged at my heartstrings. Malfoy’s smile faltered for a moment, and he immediately dropped his gaze to his hands. He had accidentally let his guard down for a split-second, but it was enough for him to wall himself off. 

I sighed, regretting what I had said. Sitting up, I drew my legs from his lap as I crossed them under me. He looked up at the movement, his eyes trailing the couch to meet mine. 

“It’s best we probably go to sleep,” he murmured, his gaze flicking to the clock. It was just past nine, but I didn’t want to push him. I nodded, swallowing thickly as I stood.

“Sleep well,” I told him, giving him a smile as I started to walk backwards to my dormitory. He gave me a single nod and a small smile before he turned, disappearing into the shadows of the boys’ wing. 

\---

I was leaving the dormitory for a walk around the grounds when I stumbled across Malfoy fast asleep on one of the couches. His mouth was slightly parted, soft snores escaping from his nose. One hand was placed on his chest, the other dangling off the cushion. The worry lines that had manifested on his forehead this year were smoothed out. I bit my lip as I watched him from the entryway to the girl’s wing, leaning up against the stone.

Walking alone suddenly didn’t sound so appealing as it had ten minutes ago. Pushing myself off the arch, I approached Malfoy quietly, my eyes never leaving his closed ones. When I was close enough, I shoved his shoulders gently. Startled, he woke up, inhaling a deep breath as his eyes fluttered open.

“What-” his gaze frantically swept around the room, desperate to find who had woken him. “Sweet Merlin, Wilkinson,” he sighed once he saw me standing above him, smiling down. Collapsing back onto the couch, he put a hand over his racing heart, but a smile tugged at his lips.

“I’m going for a walk, you’re coming with,” I simply said, rounding the corner of the couch so I wasn’t looking at him upside down. He rolled his head so his gaze could follow me, never breaking eye contact. 

“Is that so?” he smirked, settling a bent arm underneath his head. His other hand rested on his chest once more, and my eyes flicked down before I could stop them. Sucking my lips between my teeth, I nodded and held out my hand. With a sigh, he moved his hand from his chest and slipped it into mine, allowing me to pull him off the couch. He was a bit heavier than I had anticipated, my feet slipping on the rug as I used all my might to tug him off the couch. 

It wasn’t snowing, but the air was as bitter and cold as if it was. A clear blue sky hung over us as we let ourselves out of the interior corridors, suddenly met with the wind nipping at our noses. I nuzzled my mouth further into my scarf, raising my shoulders. Even Malfoy had tugged his scarf above his nose, his eyes squinting against the wind.

“Do you know what you’re going to say? To Simmons?” he asked as we were passing Hagrid’s hut, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. I shrugged, stepping over a loose stone carefully. 

“No idea,” I said honestly. I hadn’t thought much about it, I had been too fixated on the past. Malfoy nodded, his eyes sweeping over the ground as we continued to walk. Very few other students were out, the cold keeping most inside curled up by fireplaces. 

We talked about random things, from complaining about Charms to admitting the stress of our O.W.L.’s next year. I had never spoken to Malfoy like this before, and it was easier than I had expected it to be. He would crack jokes, act differently than he did around the others. I liked him better like this, but I didn’t want to ruin it by telling him.

Thirty minutes later, the sun was dipping towards the horizon, the threat of nighttime becoming more imminent. We were passing by the astronomy tower when Malfoy cleared his throat, stopping me. He nodded his head up the stone wall, and wordlessly, the two of us began to climb the spiral staircase. It was a bit warmer inside, but the pane-less windows still allowed the occasional draft. 

Winter sunsets were beautiful, the rays of sunlight bouncing off the white clouds and creating all different hues of pinks, oranges, and yellows. It was like a watercolor across the sky, the colors becoming more vibrant as the sun sank lower in the sky. My legs were tired from walking, so I sat down, leaning up against the railing that separated the staircase from the rest of the tower. A few telescopes sat along the walls, pointed down as they weren’t in use for the break. 

I could still see the sunset through the windows, like I was looking through stained-glass. Silently, Malfoy sat down on my right, drawing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around his legs. Mine were stretched out in front of me, my ankles crossed. 

“Somewhere else is waking up to a new day,” he muttered, his eyes fixated out the windows. I chuckled, crossing my arms against my chest.

“You’re a genius, sometimes, you know that?” I teased, resting my head against the stone. Malfoy scoffed beside me, one arm unravelling from his legs so he could playfully slap my thigh with the back of his hand. 

As the sun set, rays shone through the windows for split seconds, the light illuminating the inside of the tower. We sat in silence as we watched, Malfoy drumming his fingers against his knees. He had a slight blush on his nose and cheeks from the wind’s bite, the color contrasting against his pale skin. 

Being with Malfoy was easier than I thought it would’ve been, even if we only acted like this when we were alone. 

Hesitantly, I laid my head on his shoulder, the top of my hair just tickling his neck. I could feel him straighten his spine for a second, his shoulders tightening before he relaxed. A few moments later, he set his hand palm down on the stone between us, his fingers slightly bent. My eyes glanced down at the movement, seeing his thumb brush over the floor.

Biting my lip, I moved my right hand from where it was resting on my thigh. As I took a deep breath, I placed my palm on the back of his hand. His hand was cold, though it always was. I heard Malfoy suck in a breath besides me, feeling his head move as he looked down at our hands. Without a word, I tucked my fingers between each of his, curling them inwards to wrap towards his palm.

We sat like that until the sun gave way to the moon, the astronomy tower slipping into darkness.

\---

The last day of Christmas break neared much faster than I wanted it to. Tomorrow would be the day I had to finally face Jack, after nearly two weeks of trying to decipher if he was who he came off to be. 

Except Jack never showed. The others had left the Hogsmeade station without him, the usual laughter he brought missing. I had successfully avoided having to tell Katie what had happened. When Pansy jumped in, I hurled a pillow at her just to shut her up. Katie raised an eyebrow, but I ignored it.

Jack’s absence was noticeable throughout the Slytherin house, rumors beginning to spread up and down the house table during meals. I hated hearing the ones that claimed he got lost on a ski run, or that he had died. A year and half’s worth of knowing someone was too long and too significant to allow me to forget him in two weeks. 

The only ones who acted the same were Blaise and Katie, as well as Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy, Pansy, and I knew secrets that placed a heavy weight on our shoulders. 

Snape’s eyes landed on the empty seat next to me in potions, raising an eyebrow at me. I gave him a silent answer, lifting my shoulders in a quick shrug. He allowed me to work with Blaise and Malfoy until Jack returned. I guess we did brew potions faster in a group of three.

Malfoy and I had barely spoken since classes started, and I felt empty without Jack beside me. Katie was my next closest friend, but Blaise soaked up most of her attention. Meals were eaten silently, half-heartedly listening to the conversations happening around me. In classes, the tables consistently proved to be more interesting than the professors, their voices faint in my head. 

Every day was the same, a repeating cycle that I was thrown into. 

Three weeks had passed until Jack returned. I was leaving the common room to visit McGonagall’s office for additional help as he was descending the dungeon staircase, holding his trunk just above the steps.

I felt the air get kicked out of my lungs as soon as my gaze settled on him. His eyes were sullen, his cheekbones protruding a bit more than they had in December. The normal twinkle in his eyes was gone, and the lack of his smile lines told me he hadn’t grinned in ages. 

“Olive,” he breathed out, his trunk hitting the ground seconds later. The sound echoed throughout the dungeons, finally signifying he was back. My lips parted as he started for me, his arms out held out wide in preparation for a hug. 

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. He slowed, his arms dropping to his sides as he stared at me. It all came flooding back, everything Malfoy had said. I had been able to go a couple weeks without thinking about it, but the instant I saw Jack, the image of him cracking under Malfoy’s words swept through my mind. The scariest part was how easy it was for him to lie. Each one had rolled off his tongue, his mannerisms and expressions matching them perfectly.

“Heard you performed unforgivables on other students, is that right? Taking after your parents, I see?”

““So, what, you just stuck to the imperius curse? Sometimes the cruciatus? Bet the first-years liked that.”

“Tell me, Simmons, when do you become a Death Eater?” 

I couldn’t look at Jack and not see the Death Eater that had cornered me in my house last summer. Before I could stop it, I envisioned him being behind the mask, taking it off and staring deep into my eyes. At the thought, a gasp escaped my lips. His eyebrows furrowed at my gasp, clearly wondering what was running through my mind.

He hadn’t known where I lived yet, it couldn’t have been him.

“Please, Olive. You owe me the chance to explain myself,” he tried, his arms dropping to his sides. My mouth dropped at his claim, a bitter laugh following seconds later. 

“Owe you?” I repeated in disbelief, finally closing my mouth as a huff left my nose. “I don’t owe you shit, Simmons.” With a hard glare, I pushed past him, stalking towards the staircase. He stumbled back, watching me leave. In a weak effort, I kicked over his trunk, the metal hardware scraping against the stone as it slid a few inches. I didn’t look back as I climbed the stairs, keeping my chin up the entire way to McGonagall’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is definitely just a short filler chapter lol, I got a bit drained after writing the Yule Ball chapters :/ there might not be an update tomorrow unless I can get a lab report finished by tonight!! I’m still trying to think of how to lay out the rest of fourth-year and I don’t wanna write anything I’ll later regret/I'm not proud of


	33. chapter thirty-one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy SHIT thank you all for 10k hits!!!!! I literally screamed when I woke up this morning and saw that, I can't believe that even happened :') thank you from the bottom of my heart, I love you all so much and I can't thank you enough for your support

For days that seemed like they went by so slowly, quite a few had passed before I even noticed.

I had gotten to potions a few minutes early, sitting in my normal spot. Malfoy and Blaise walked in together, collapsing down across from me. Jack’s seat was still empty, but it wouldn’t be for long. Moments later, I saw him approach in my peripheral vision, his black robes slipping into the stool next to mine. I could feel his gaze on the side of my face, a soft sigh escaping his lips when I didn’t turn to face him.

Malfoy and Blaise were talking, excited about the Slytherin match this upcoming weekend. It was the first one this year, and we were in the lead for the cup. The match was against Hufflepuff, and Malfoy was confident we would win. Practices were being held regularly again, taking up most of his time. 

“Olive,” Jack whispered sharply, his hand grasping the spine of his potions textbook. I swallowed, keeping my gaze on the table. Even if I had sat on the other side of the table, I would’ve been facing him, or Blaise would’ve known something was up. Snape started the lecture moments later, as if he heard my prayers.

“This week will be spent learning about and brewing the Skele-Gro potion,” he announced, his arms crossing over his chest as he leaned against a table. His eyes swept over the classroom, landing on Jack for a split-second. “Now, although this potion is extremely useful, it will taste absolutely horrendous. Do not drink from it today unless you would like to grow more bones than your skeleton can handle.” A few students shifted under his gaze, most likely imagining the scenario that Snape had so intricately described. 

I rested my elbow on the table, leaning forward so my back was to Jack. Setting my head on my hand, I listened to Snape explain the cause of the foul taste, though I don’t think his words were actually being absorbed. Jack huffed quietly behind me, his fingers flipping through the potions he had missed in the month he was gone. I had gotten into a rhythm of brewing with Blaise and Malfoy, which I was certain I’d miss. The three of us had been quite resourceful and efficient, constantly finishing potions before the rest.

“Once you successfully brew the Skele-Gro, confirm it with me before you bottle up as many vials as possible. Madam Pomfrey would like to restock her supply,” Snape released the class, but his gaze immediately lingered on our table. Before I could even stand, Snape was at the edge, his hands resting on the table between Blaise and I. 

“Mr. Zabini, if you would change seats with Miss Wilkinson,” he said lowly, making sure the tables around us didn’t hear. My eyebrows knitted together in confusion, before I realized Malfoy must’ve said something. 

“Why?” Blaise asked, though he was already gathering his things. I did the same, ignoring his questioning look. Jack’s shoulders dropped in the corner of my eye, his mouth falling open as he stared at Snape in disbelief. 

“Just do it, Zabini,” Snape sighed, exasperation laced throughout his words. Blaise rolled his eyes, but allowed me to take his seat. Placing my book down, I dropped my bag on the ground moments after. 

“I’ll get the ingredients,” Malfoy muttered, standing before I could even agree. Leaving the three of us at the table, Blaise looked between Jack and I, clearly confused. I continued to ignore him though, pushing myself off the stool before I walked to the back of the room. 

My eyes landed on my cauldron, which Snape had annoyingly placed on the top shelf over the break. Standing on the balls of my feet, one hand steadied myself on the counter as I stretched my other arm outwards. Before I could grab the handle though, Jack’s arm came from over my shoulder, grasping the lip of the cauldron. He brought it down to his side, holding it behind his back as I groaned. When I finally made eye contact with him, he looked even worse than he had when he returned. The bags under his eyes were dark, indicating he hadn’t slept well in days, possibly weeks. His typical smile was replaced with a frown, the crease between his eyebrows deep.

“Give it, Simmons,” I sighed, holding one out towards him. He shook his head, only lighting the short fuse I had inside of me.

“Not until you hear me out,” he tried, and I scoffed. I decided to make a grab for it, my hand shooting around his waist but he was too quick. Taking a step backwards, he kept my cauldron hidden behind his robes. 

“Not here,” I hissed back, glaring at him. His eyes widened before they matched my narrow ones, a scowl on his lips. 

“Tonight, then. After classes,” Jack proposed, and I rolled my eyes, bringing the heels of my palms up to rest on my temples. It was barely past nine in the morning, and Jack had already ruined my entire day. He revealed my cauldron, rocking it back and forth in his hand like it was a joke.

“Fine,” I snapped, reaching out and snatching my cauldron from him. Turning on my heel, I marched back to our table, nearing throwing the metal on the desk. Malfoy was shredding the cabbage, a pile already growing on the desk. He raised an eyebrow at me, as if to ask if I was alright, but I shook my head, dismissing his question. The rest of the class went silently and quickly, avoiding all of Jack’s looks and working with Malfoy. He and I were the first to successfully brew the potion, and we managed to fill twenty vials for Pomfrey.

I was thankful my next class wasn’t with Jack, I needed a break from his incessant bothering. Malfoy and I walked side-by-side to Herbology, making small talk just to fill the quiet air. Valentine’s Day was just over two weeks away, indicating a Hogsmeade trip. 

Even though Malfoy was walking down the aisleway first, he left the seat next to the window free as he slipped into the other. Sprout began talking about Bouncing Bulbs, which was to be our focus for the next few weeks. Another project was on the horizon, but she promised she wouldn’t assign it until after the second task of the tournament. Even though it was just under a month away, it had been the talk of Hogwarts since everyone returned from Christmas break.

Whenever I found myself in the seat next to the window, I couldn’t help but daydream. Longbottom perfectly concealed Sprout’s view of me, especially if I leaned forward on the desk. Malfoy looked like he was actually paying attention, his arms crossed over his chest as he sat back on the stool.

Ever since the night of the Yule Ball, I had envisioned Malfoy and I dancing at the front of the greenhouse, exactly where Sprout stood when she gave her lectures. Daydreaming was probably detrimental to my grade in the course, but Malfoy had been so kind, so tender in that moment that I was certain the memory would never leave my mind.

At lunch, Jack had decided to sit with Ivan and the other Durmstrang boys, separating himself from the rest of the Slytherins. Blaise had begun to notice something was different, obviously passing it along to Katie. The two of them murmured to one another all lunch, sneaking glances at both Jack and I every few minutes. Surprisingly, Pansy had stayed quiet about the entire thing, especially since I had hit her with the pillow in the dormitory. I would never actually admit it to her, but I was grateful for her silence. 

Charms and Muggle Studies went quickly as well, Flitwick finally moving onto the scouring charm, which was the first new one we had learned in a while. He preferred repetition of the spells students learned in years one through three, ensuring that we all knew them like the back of our hands. Many of them were to appear on our O.W.L.’s next year, and Flitwick proudly held the highest average score for Charms, and deservedly so. 

I was dreading talking to Jack though, it had been something that I was trying to push to the back of mind all day. The second Flitwick released us, I tugged Katie along with me to the library. Malfoy was holding a team practice before dinner, so it bought me at least a couple hours.

Busying my mind with anything other than Jack, I flew through my Charms homework in less than an hour. A Potions essay was quickly finished afterwards, my hand never once leaving the parchment as I scribbled mercilessly. Katie was still reading through a section for Muggle Studies when I finally decided to give myself a break. Excusing myself, I walked towards the girls’ restroom near the library, stifling a yawn. 

“Hey, Olive.”

I turned at the voice, seeing Ivan walking down the main corridor of Hogwarts. It was weirdly empty though, since it was usually bustling with students, especially before dinner. I bit my lip, slowing to a stop by the wall as he approached. 

“Oh, hi, Ivan. How’s the tournament going?” I asked politely, though I wanted nothing more than to escape back into the library. I hadn’t talked to him since before Christmas, having no reason to, really. Plastering a fake smile onto my face, I shoved my hands into my robes. 

“It’s fine,” he quickly dismissed with a shake of his head. I cleared my throat, about to explain that I was headed for the restroom when he cut me off with a drastic change of subject. “What did Malfoy say to you?” 

Raising an eyebrow at his words, I decided to feign confusion. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Ivan-” I started, but his hand harshly shoved my shoulder backwards. Not prepared for the sudden push, my spine twisted under his force and my back flattened against the wall. He towered over me, his eyes narrowed in a glare. Since he was a few years older than I was, he had a height advantage. Shocked, my lips parted and my eyes widened.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” he nearly growled, his jaw clenched tightly. I glanced down the hallway, but it was still empty. “Innocent little Wilkinson would believe anything Malfoy told her.” He scoffed, his bitter laugh echoing between the stone walls. Pressing my lips firmly together, I narrowed my eyes to match his, shooting back a glare with the same intensity. 

“I am not innocent,” I seethed, my fingers trailing over my wand in my pocket, suddenly grateful I had worn them out of the library. I knew that I couldn’t use magic to get myself out of this, since I didn’t want to chance Ivan retaliating with more mature spells. My mind frantically debated on what to do next, so I bit back at him to buy myself some time. “Did you torture the first-years too? A bonding moment between you and Jack, perhaps?” Ivan’s face fell slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. The tiny change in expression told me everything I needed to know, and he didn’t even have to open his mouth.

“Why, you little-” he started, but I briskly unsheathed my wand from my pockets, digging the end deep into his stomach. With a small yelp, he doubled over and I took advantage of the change of position to slip away from the wall. Ivan’s hand immediately clasped his stomach, turning around as I nearly jogged away, desperate to get away from him. I returned to the library, figuring that if he followed, he would make a lot more commotion than he had in the hallway.

Ivan didn’t though, and I didn’t see him at dinner either. The interaction was odd, completely different from how he had presented himself at his parent’s house. I suppose, though, Jack’s presence could’ve had control over Ivan. 

Thirty minutes later, Katie and I walked to the Great Hall together, Katie asking for my opinion on the various anniversary gifts she was thinking of for Blaise. Half-heartedly, I agreed with her idea of a quidditch set that Blaise had been eyeing forever, apparently.

The Slytherin team was sitting at the end of the table, still dressed in their quidditch robes. Malfoy’s back was to me, Jack sitting across from him. When Warrington and Montague saw us approaching, they slapped Jack’s shoulders, waving the team goodbye as they joined their older friends further down the table. Pansy was nowhere to be found, so I assumed she must’ve been at the dormitory.

Jack’s head snapped up as he saw me walk towards Malfoy’s left, his eyes trailing me as I sat. It was weird, sitting next to Malfoy when I had always preferred to eat next to Jack. I hadn’t wanted to draw attention to the riff we had going between us, but I couldn’t bring myself to sit next to him. Potions had been painful enough, even in the short moments before Snape intervened. 

Dinner was various kinds of soups with a mix of bread to match. Malfoy was tearing apart half a baguette, eating it with his fingers as he listened to Pucey talk about match strategies for Saturday. Katie joined Blaise, his arm immediately wrapping around her shoulders the moment she slipped onto the bench. 

Maybe it was the fact that it felt like Cornish pixies had a war going in my stomach, but the lentil soup didn’t look appetizing at all. Absentmindedly, I rested my cheek on my palm, stirring my spoon through the soup in a figure-eight pattern. Jack was barely talking to Crabbe and Goyle, his usual demeanor definitely absent. The group’s laughter wasn’t as strong, even though Blaise had told a couple jokes. Dinners used to get wild last term, Jack constantly egging the others on in a variety of stupid competitions. Before Halloween, Crabbe had been able to fit seventeen grapes in his mouth, causing Katie to gag when he spewed them all back out.

Ten minutes later, Jack had resorted to simply throwing pieces of ripped bread into his bowl. I had barely eaten, and my spoon was long forgotten, resting against the ceramic. My hands were tapping against my thighs, trying my hardest to listen to Blaise’s story about Katie meeting his parents. His words were faint in my head, but I laughed when the others did, so the story must’ve been funny. 

I nearly jumped when familiar cold fingers brushed over the back of my hand, his fingertips just barely skimming my knuckles. Malfoy was still turned towards Blaise, but his hand had slipped off his lap. The rest of the group was listening to Blaise as well, their focus all above the table. 

Hesitantly, I placed my other hand on top of Malfoy’s, enveloping his between the two of mine. I don’t think he knew it, but his tiny gesture was the security I had searched for all day, the reassurance that everything was alright. His fingers slipped between mine, curling down towards my palm like I had done to him in the astronomy tower. 

Giving me a gentle squeeze, he withdrew his hand from mine, never once breaking his attention from Blaise. I felt like my laughs were meaningful now, and the pains that had been shooting through my stomach finally stopped, allowing me to down the bowl of soup before the group left the Great Hall. 

I hung towards the back as we returned towards the common room, trying to prepare myself for whatever Jack had to say. Blaise kissed Katie’s cheek as he wished her goodnight, eventually disappearing down the boy’s wing with Crabbe and Goyle, Malfoy trailing them. Katie left as well, leaving just Jack and I alone. 

I had never thought that I would feel this awkward and uncomfortable around Jack, but here I was. Biting my lip, I focused my gaze on the ground as I came to a stop near the end of a couch. Jack was still dressed in his quidditch robes, his hair brushed back from his face like he had run his hands through it millions of times.

“You never call me Simmons,” he muttered, tossing his bag onto the couch. He threw it too hard though, and it bounced off a cushion, coming to a rest on the floor. Collapsing down, he stared at me, waiting for an answer. I sighed, perching myself on an armrest, a couch-length away from him. 

“I know,” I mumbled, beginning to pick at my fingers as a distraction. It was true, his last name had slipped out before I even knew what I was saying. 

“So what is it then? Your way of getting back at me?” he rubbed a hand over his jaw, clearly frustrated. One heel came down harshly on the table, the other crossing over seconds later. I jumped at the sound, not expecting it. 

“No, it’s how I can tell the difference between the old Jack and whoever you are now,” I scoffed, finally looking at him. He had covered his face with his hands, his head tilted back against the cushions. The statement had a bit of a dramatic flair to it, but I didn’t care. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he sat up, drawing his feet off the table before he rested his elbows on his knees. I shot him a look, shaking my head just barely. This conversation was going to go nowhere.

“It means, Simmons,” I emphasized his last name, just to piss him off. “Whoever I met on that boat is not in this room right now.”

He rolled his eyes, not phased at all. “If you would listen to me-”

“I am listening, you weasel.”

“I swear to Merlin, Olive-”

“Just tell me if it’s true or not.”

I crossed my arms, waiting for his answer. The immature back-and-forth had been stopped by my serious question, and I raised an eyebrow, staring at him. He let out an exasperated sigh, falling backwards into the cushions. His hands dragged over his face again, and I stood up. If he wasn’t going to tell me, I wasn’t going to give him my time.

“Yes,” he whispered, his head hung. Jack had returned to his previous position, his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped together. My breathing hitched in my throat, my head suddenly feeling light. I felt frozen, still standing as my gaze shifted to the ground as his response repeated itself in my head. I had tried so hard to convince myself Malfoy’s words weren’t true, that Jack couldn’t have possibly done the things Malfoy said he did. So many nights spent repeating to myself that the friendly, smiley boy I met my first night at Hogwarts didn’t have a bad bone in his body.

But he had. 

“But it was the others who made me do it,” Jack continued, and my attention snapped back to him. He was still staring at the ground, his shoulder blades expanding and contracting with each breath. “The older boys at Durmstrang.”

“What?” I whispered, immediately thinking of Ivan. From what I knew, the two families had been close since before Ivan’s birth. Jack’s constant nervousness before Christmas started to make sense, Karkaroff had only brought his boys who were old enough to enter. Those all older than Jack, and mostly in Ivan’s year.

“You know what being an only child is like, Olive,” he sighed, finally lifting his gaze to meet mine. His eyes were glazed over with tears threatening to spill, something that I’d never thought I’d see. My breath stopped again, staring at Jack. “You’d do anything to impress others, feel accepted.”

“I wouldn’t torture first-years, Jack, you know that,” I accidentally reverted to using his first name, but it was just more natural, more instinctual. 

“I had to listen to him. Ivan’s like a brother to me, Olive,” he continued, ignoring my words. Jack opened his mouth to continue, but I cut him off with something that I had wanted to say for weeks.

“You were like a brother to me, Jack,” I barely got out before a shaky breath escaped my mouth. I hadn’t cried since my parents died, and I told myself I wouldn’t cry tonight, but tears began to well up behind my eyes against my will. My bottom lip trembled, catching Jack’s attention. I hadn’t meant to use past tense, but it had slipped out. His mouth parted and his eyes softened, immediately standing up. 

He didn’t say anything as he crossed the small space between us, pulling me into him. I let him, my body too weak to fight it. His arms held me tight, one hand holding the back of my head. Too embarrassed to cry in front of him, I pressed my face into his chest. 

“I am so sorry, Olive,” he whispered, tightening his grip on my back before he buried his face into the top of my hair. My arms dangled at my side for a moment, before they wrapped around his waist. Only a few tears slipped out of my eyes, wetting the material of his sweater. “I promise, I swear to you, I’m not who I was at Durmstrang.”

He squeezed my body for a moment before he pulled away, looking down at me. His hands came to rest on my shoulders, his thumbs just barely brushing back and forth over the collar of my robes. My cheeks were wet, my mouth set into a frown. Jack sighed, bringing his hands to my cheeks and wiping the tears away with his thumbs. “Will you let me explain, please?” he murmured, his tone a drastic change from the one he had used the second we were alone.

I averted my gaze, nodding. He gently pulled me onto a couch with him, sitting so our knees were knocking against one another. My hands landed in my lap, fiddling with my fingers and avoiding his eyes.

“You know that my parents have known Ivan’s since before I was born, right?” he asked quietly, his hands splaying out onto his thighs. I nodded, sniffling a bit to keep my nose from running. The tears had stopped, but I still hated how fragile I felt.

“When I started at Durmstrang, they basically paired me with him, like a mentor of sorts,” he continued, his words a bit shaky to match his breathing. “Him and his friends would tease and tortue the other first-years incessantly, but they left me alone. I saw what they did though, they thought it was hilarious.” I looked up to see Jack’s jaw clench, his eyes boring into the table as he tried to control himself.

“It was the latter half of my second-year when they pushed me to do it, that it was some tradition I had to follow, and I’ll be the first to admit it was fucked-up,” Jack reached for one of my hands, enveloping it between his two. He stared at me intently, holding my gaze for a moment. “I need you to know I hated doing it, Olive. I cried when the first boy’s kneecaps shattered when they got pushed so far inwards. I don’t think sound is ever going to leave my head.” 

I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth, biting down hard. Jack sounded sincere, and given Ivan’s erratic behavior earlier, I was starting to believe him. I still hated him for doing the things he did, though. And I hated him for lying to me about so many other things.

“Why’d you bring me to his house then?” I mumbled, thinking of the World Cup. He sighed, squeezing my hand before he let it go and leaned up against the couch. 

“I honestly wanted to bring you to the World Cup, that was it. My parents didn’t tell me we would be staying at the Levski’s until the night before we got you, and I figured that if I didn’t leave your side, then Ivan couldn’t do anything,” he explained, running a hand through his hair. I had always wondered why they put Jack and I in the same bedroom, the Levski’s house was big enough to accommodate everyone separately. At the time, I hadn’t questioned why Jack slept nearest the door, but the pieces were beginning to fall into place now. He had been unknowingly manipulated as a young boy, the older ones making him feel like it was the only option.

I nodded slowly, my mind running through the night at the Levski’s. Jack was right, he had never left my side from the moment we had gotten out of his parents’ car. He had ushered me past Ivan’s parents when we entered the house. We had sat together at dinner, Jack sitting between Ivan and I. We had even brushed our teeth together, which I had blown off as normal given Jack’s normal, goofy behavior. I hadn’t heard the locking spell he put over the door when he left for a shower in the morning, though it was no more than ten minutes. It was odd, the way Ivan’s mother had promptly abandoned our conversation when I admitted I had gone to a muggle school, and the fact that his father barely spoke to me.

Jack had kept me away from the other Durmstrang boys all term, until they were basically surrounding us at the ball. He caved, introducing me to each one hurriedly before pulling me away.

“Karkaroff caught me at the end of my second-year, catching Ivan and his friends as well,” Jack spoke, bringing me out of my thoughts. My head snapped back to his, listening as he continued to explain what had happened at Durmstrang. “He knew the tournament was coming up, and he couldn’t afford to expel that many students, especially those he was planning on bringing with. So, they placed all the blame on me, and who was I to object? I was a defenseless, small twelve year old who they had no trouble kicking to the curb.” Jack’s breathing began to rise again, indicating his frustration and anger as he relived the memory.

“My transfer application was initially rejected from Hogwarts, so my parents pulled me to the Ministry one day. Long story short, Dumbledore eventually intervened in the meetings and overrode the rejection, and I started the same day as you,” he finished, looking over at me for my reaction. It was still a lot of new information, his words held an reasoning to them that Malfoy’s hadn’t. 

I was about to respond with something my brain hadn’t thought of yet, simply wanting to give Jack a response I knew he needed. But he cut me off, resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. “I know I lied to you about other things, and I promise you I’ll tell you why, but I just need you to trust me now. I’m no different than the Jack you met on the boat, I swear it.”

I felt like the only thing I could do was nod, my mind still processing everything he had said. “Plus, I wasn’t lying when I called you too pretty for Beauxbatons,” he chuckled, the sound slightly sad. It was the first joke I had heard him crack since the night of the ball, and a small huff left my nose as I shook my head gently. The tiniest smile swept over my mouth, though my eyelids still felt heavy with sadness. 

“You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to see that smile,” Jack said quietly, the corner of his mouth tugged upwards. His familiarity started to return, the bags under his eyes looking like they were disappearing before my eyes. 

Jack and I left the common room that night as friends again, though there was a hesitancy between us that I wasn’t sure would ever leave. I was still curious about his past, about his time at Durmstrang. I wanted to tell Jack about Ivan’s actions earlier that day, but the boy looked like he needed a long sleep and a proper breakfast, so I bit my tongue. Some things could be kept a secret, but I was already dreading the inevitable explosion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> um you know when you’re writing something and it ends up going in the complete opposite direction you planned??? Uh yeah this is example A and now idk how i’ll write myself outta it
> 
> Honestly too many families and too many stories and too many unknowns??? What the hell is this fic??? And now i have at least two redemption arcs to write???? *bangs head on desk repeatedly*


	34. chapter thirty-two

Jack seemed to return to normal fairly quickly after our talk in the common room. It was like once he got the chance to explain himself, his usual self could resurface. When I entered the Great Hall the next morning, he was laughing with Katie and Blaise at the table, the two of them completely infatuated with whatever he was saying. His hands were up in the air, a wide smile on his face. I came to stop just inside the doors, standing off to the side as my gaze fell on the three of them. Katie and Blaise were turned away from the entrance, Jack too busy with telling a joke to notice me. With a quick glance down the table, I noticed the others weren’t there yet, and I couldn’t bring myself to join just the three. 

Although I had led him to believe I forgave him, Jack was a stranger now. How he could continue to act the same around the others bothered me deep down, and raised a caution in me I never thought I would have towards him. At the very least, it was unsettling. Part of me wanted to believe the transfer to Hogwarts allowed him to act on his true morals, without the influence of Ivan and his friends. And the other part, well, I didn’t know what it thought. I couldn’t figure it out, and I hated it. 

“What’re you doing?” 

My head snapped to the right to see Malfoy’s arched eyebrow, his gaze following mine to the Slytherin table. He readjusted the strap that laid over his shoulder, glancing back to me. I shrugged, shaking my head. “Nothing.”

The responses didn’t have a chance against Malfoy, who immediately guessed. “Have you talked to him?” he asked, not needing to mention Jack’s name. Biting my lip, I nodded, averting my gaze to the Hufflepuff table. “What’d he say?”

“Just, uh-” I blinked a few times, finally looking back at Malfoy. “Explained himself, I guess.”

“What do you mean?” The boy was full of questions today, but it wasn’t annoying me as much as I thought it would.

“He told me why he did it,” I leaned up against the wall of the Great Hall, turning my back to the Slytherin table. Malfoy gazed over my head, no doubt staring at Jack. His jaw clenched for a short moment, his nostrils flaring before he finally dropped his stare.

“It doesn’t matter why he did it, Wilkinson. He did it, and that’s it,” he retorted, the typical Malfoy attitude seeping through. I rolled my eyes, glancing over my shoulder at the others. They were still engrossed in a conversation, and seemingly hadn’t noticed us yet.

“I’ll see you in Dark Arts,” I pushed myself off the wall, about to leave the Great Hall before Malfoy stepped to the side, stopping me. We still had thirty minutes until the class started, but my stomach wasn’t feeling as hungry as it had twenty minutes ago.

“I’ll come with you,” he proposed, one hand clasping the strap of his bag. I raised an eyebrow, knowing he needed food in the morning or else he was completely miserable in classes. There had been a time in our third-year where he woke up later than normal, and practically strangled Crabbe in Potions because he didn’t have the chance to eat a waffle.

“You, skip breakfast?” I teased, a small smile slipping onto my lips. He rolled his eyes, shrugging. 

“I don’t want to be around him, either,” he admitted like it was no big deal, shooting me a quick smile before he walked to the end of the Hufflepuff table. Malfoy snatched a couple muffins from the closest platter, ignoring the stares the second-years gave him. Wiggling them in the air as he returned, I laughed and the two of us left the Great Hall. I missed Jack’s stare though, his eyebrows knitted together as he watched us leave. 

Malfoy and I found a secluded staircase at the end of a long hallway, far away from all the students rushing into the Great Hall for a quick bite before classes began. Before he sat, Malfoy threw his bag carelessly onto the ground, the strap laying haphazardly around it. Silently, he handed me a muffin, a napkin tucked underneath. 

He sat first, each foot on different steps so his legs were bent at different angles. Resting my bag against the bottom step, I sat across the staircase from him, so if someone were to come, they could easily walk between us. I pressed my back to the stone railing, crossing my legs as they stretched out.

Malfoy was tearing apart his muffin, his fingers popping the occasional bite into his mouth. I bit my lip, debating on whether or not to ask him about Ivan. My curiosity got the best of me though, and so I cleared my throat, causing Malfoy to look over.

“Do you know anything about the Levski’s? Ivan’s family?” I asked, my gaze not leaving the muffin cradled in my palm. Besides Jack’s quick introduction of Ivan to everyone at the beginning of the year, I don’t think I had ever seen Malfoy and Ivan talk. It could be that they didn’t know one another, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask. I was too nervous to look at Malfoy, but I wanted an answer. “Just since your father knew those things about Jack.”

He froze mid-bite, his mouth closed to keep the muffin behind his lips. Malfoy swallowed thickly, beginning to nod slowly. “My father’s told me a bit, why?” He responded, asking the follow-up question I had hoped that he wouldn’t. 

I shrugged, hoping I could play it off as lesser than it was. “He caught me in the hallway a few nights ago, asking what you had told me about Jack.” It was a bit of a lie, but it was essentially what had happened. Malfoy’s eyebrow raised, returning his attention back to the muffin. 

“What’d you say?” he asked, his fingers running along the edge of the wrapper. 

“Lied and said I didn’t know what he was talking about,” I said truthfully, and a small huff left Malfoy’s nose. He didn’t sound annoyed though, rather amused as a tiny smile crossed his face.

“They’re just another Death Eater family, incredibly elitist,” he finally looked back to me, his tone extremely nonchalant given the situation. My eyes went wide, staring back at him. I knew I had joked about the night of the Yule Ball, but it truly seemed like Death Eaters were everywhere I turned. 

“I went to their house over the summer,” I murmured, almost embarrassed to be admitting it. He shot up, his spine straightening and this half-eaten muffin long forgotten. 

“You what?” he repeated, but I knew he had heard what I said. His eyebrows furrowed together, staring at me intently.

“For the World Cup, I went with the Simmons’,” For some reason, probably because of Malfoy’s response, I felt guilty about doing it. Malfoy sighed, dropping back onto his elbows and looking down the staircase. 

“Of course,” he scoffed, his eyes darting around the stone. “But Merlin, Wilkinson. You were in a house with four current Death Eaters and two soon-to-be ones, how the bloody hell did you get out alive?” 

His words scared me more than I’m sure he had meant for them to. Biting down on the inside of my cheek, I couldn’t answer his question without attributing Jack’s protection over me for the entirety of my time there. He had done it so sneakily that I hadn’t noticed at the time, but with each revealing statement Malfoy or he had made, more and more pieces were falling into a puzzle I didn’t even know I had to solve.

“You don’t have to answer that,” Malfoy said quickly, noticing the frantic darting of my eyes. I looked up with wide eyes, my mind picturing the boggart from Lupin’s class. That could’ve been me months ago, and for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why that hadn’t happened.

I must’ve stayed silent for too long as Malfoy sat up again, tilting his head to the right. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly, but the emptiness of the hallway made his voice seem a lot louder. I furrowed my eyebrows, pondering the seemingly-simple question. Nobody had asked me that in a while, at least from what I could remember. Truthfully, I didn’t know how I was alive. It seemed like I had escaped death too many times. Being in Diagon Alley with Aunt Beth that day, or simply getting lucky at the Levski’s. 

“Uh, yeah,” I answered Malfoy a moment later, nodding my head a tad too aggressively. “Yeah,” I repeated, but my voice cracked and the tears welled up behind my eyes. Immediately, I turned my head away from Malfoy, squeezing my eyes shut. 

It was easy to get wrapped up into academics, to have my only stress be about the upcoming Charms exam. It was so easy to temporarily forget about everything else, to only focus on the assignments due tomorrow. And I found myself slipping into that repeating cycle over the past year, not having any intention to at all. It made me feel guilty, not thinking about my parents as much as I felt I should’ve. But, on the flip side, it was nice to pretend to be a normal teenage girl, someone who had the same worries about boys like Katie did.

Pretending was a temporary fix, and although I knew it wouldn’t hold in the long run, it was just too good to give up now.

My eyes opened, staring blankly at the steps as I unconsciously twisted the olive branch of my necklace around my fingers. As great as Aunt Beth was, I was growing up without a mother. No one to gush with about boyfriends, or ask for advice when things got messy. I hadn’t thought much about it until now, but I would walk down the aisle without my father someday. I knew it was premature to think about things like that, but it was the small things that ripped my heart open a tiny bit more. The few days between my parent’s death and my start at Hogwarts hadn’t been enough to truly process what I had lost, and I hadn’t had the chance to since.

Malfoy cleared his throat quietly, gently pulling me out of my head. I dropped the necklace, the chain disappearing under the collar of my sweater. 

“Yeah?” he nearly whispered, craning his neck downwards so he could see my face. I blinked before I raised my head, causing him to straighten his spine as well. Miraculously, no tears had streamed down my cheeks, leaving them completely dry. I nodded, giving Malfoy a smile. Seemingly satisfied, he frowned in agreement as his eyebrows flicked upwards quickly. His muffin was gone, the wrapper resting on one of the steps. 

He sighed, laying back on the stone, his body angled parallel to the slope of the steps. It couldn’t have been comfortable, but the crook of his neck rested perfectly on the edge of a step. I drew my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them as I looked over at him. His eyes were closed, his fingers interlocked and resting on his stomach. Malfoy must’ve sensed my stare, as he opened one eye, the other squeezing further shut. His head rolled to the side, his cheek nearly resting on the stone.

“Try it,” he stated simply, closing his eye as he returned to his previous position. Hesitantly, my legs stretched downwards and I lowered myself onto my back. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as uncomfortable as I thought it would’ve been, but maybe Malfoy’s presence had something to do with it. I stared up the circular staircase, my gaze reaching the very top of the tower which loomed meters above us. 

A particular step was digging between my shoulder blades, but I ignored it. The two of us stayed like that for a few moments, my heart rate eventually slowing back to normal. Five minutes later, the bell tower rang, notifying the students of the five minutes they had to get to their first class. Sighing, I sat up, but Malfoy made no move to stand. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if he had fallen asleep. The staircase we were in was too far away from the Great Hall, I didn’t think many students would come this way. 

“Malfoy,” I whispered sharply, though I was even sure why I had lowered my voice. His eyebrows moved at my call, but his eyes didn’t open. “We have Dark Arts, we need to go.” A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, but he stayed still.

Groaning, I stood, skipping down the few steps for my bag. At that, he sat up, blinking a few times to let his eyes adjust. “Let’s just skip, Wilkinson. I don’t even think Moody has the accreditation to teach, anyways.”

I didn’t like the idea, but it would give me a few hours to escape Jack’s eye. “Fine,” I gave in, shrugging as I watched Malfoy stand, his fingers wrapping around the strap of his bag. Hogwarts was having one the few early-spring days we got each year, the sun shining bright and the air not as bitter as it had been in January. 

Malfoy and I hung back in the staircase until the second bell rang, indicating the beginning of class. We briskly walked through the maze of corridors, avoiding Filch as we made our way to the quad. It was still a bit cold, but the skies were blue and a few birds were singing. Malfoy and I found a sunny spot on the grass, which surprisingly wasn’t wet. Still, I tugged my robes underneath me as I sat, just in case. 

Malfoy immediately busied himself with picking blades of grass, gathering a bunch in his other hand. 

“Thank you,” I murmured, so quiet I wasn’t sure if I had even said it. His head snapped up, his eyebrows knitted together. “For telling me.” I finished, giving Malfoy a small smile. I knew he would know what I meant, so I decided to leave it at that. Although I hated to admit it, it was true. I wasn’t sure if I could ever reach the same familiarity I had with Jack, and though I didn’t know it then, understanding Jack’s past would be beneficial in the future.

Malfoy swallowed uncomfortably, but he nodded, turning his attention back to the grass. We sat in silence for a few moments, my eyes squinting against the sun as I looked around the quad. A few birds were chasing one another in the other corner, before the group flew away.

“I thought of a story,” he mumbled, and it was my turn to furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

“What?” I asked, tucking my legs underneath me before I leaned forward.

“A story, a better one.”

It had been over a month since Malfoy and I had spent that night in the common room, me teasing about the quality of his story. “Tell me,” I nearly breathed out, staring at Malfoy intently. He didn’t raise his gaze, though a small smile washed over his face. 

“I was, like, three maybe,” he started, beginning to twirl a sliver of grass between his thumb and index finger. “Anyways, my mother had me outside with her in the garden, she was harvesting a bunch of roses for a dinner she and my father were hosting.” His smile grew as soon as he mentioned his mother, which caused one to settle on my lips as well. I listened to him, my eyes tracing over the profile of his face as he talked.

“And so, after she trimmed off the thorns, she had given them to me to hold while she finished. But I was incredibly impatient, and it was beginning to rain,” he paused, a quick chuckle escaping. “So I took off with the roses, not paying attention to where I was going. I ran through the soil, absolutely coating my shoes with mud.” His nose scrunched up, his hand gesturing down his legs that were stretched out in front of them. He raised one foot off the ground for a brief moment as he gestured, before setting it back down as he continued his story.

“I tracked it all through the house, from the kitchen to the parlor and back into the dining room since my mother had told me she had a vase for the roses on the table. Needless to say, neither she or my father were pleased to see muddy footprints up and down the wood floors and on the upholstery of the dining chairs. I tried to blame the house-elf for it, but accidentally set him free when I gave him my shoes to wear,” he finished, finally raising his gaze to meet mine. I snorted, envisioning a small Malfoy pointing at a house-elf who was admiring his new shoes.

I chuckled, nodding my head. “Now that was a good one, Malfoy.”

He rolled his eyes, but the grin on his face told me he wasn’t annoyed. “Good enough for you?” 

“Good enough for me,” I reaffirmed, and I don’t think even the Imperius curse could control the smile spreading over my face. 

\---

Malfoy and I ended up skipping our second class as well, though we didn’t mean to. We simply had got caught up in stories and childish arguments, not realizing how fast the minutes were flying by. 

“I’m just saying, the nougat chunks are better than chocolate frogs,” I shrugged, leaning back on my hands. Malfoy and I had been arguing about the best sweet Honeydukes had to offer, and he was steadfast on chocolate frogs. At my claim, he scrunched up his nose in disgust, pretending to gag dramatically. He was leaning on one elbow, his legs stretched out across the grass as he laid on his side.

“Oh, shut up-” I began, but Jack’s voice rang out clear across the quad, interrupting me. 

“You’re telling me you’re skipping class with him?” I abandoned my thought, glancing over my shoulder to see Jack storming across the grass. “You’re skipping with the same guy you punched, what, two months ago?” he continued as he neared us, eventually coming to a stop.

My mouth dropped open in disbelief, staring at him. It was a bold statement, especially given his own behavior since the ball. I opened my mouth to respond, but Jack shook his head, laughing bitterly. We had never fought, but it seemed like we were going to now.

“He’s a Malfoy, Olive. Did you forget?” Jack scoffed, gesturing towards Malfoy behind me. I stood, mustering the meanest glare I could. Malfoy followed behind, the blades of grass fluttering to the ground. “C’mon, you’re better than this, you and I both know that.”

I glanced around the quad, where a few students were gathering between the arches. Blaise and Katie were standing together on the edge of the grass, clearly having walked with Jack. Taking the few steps toward Jack, I glared up at him. I knew he was just being protective, but I hated it. He couldn’t come back from a month of being absent and expect me to still be there for him, especially after what happened.

“Jack, everyone’s looking,” I hissed, my eyes darting over to Katie and Blaise. They both looked extremely confused, but I couldn’t tell if it was because Malfoy and I were willingly together, or because of Jack’s outburst. 

“Let ‘em look, I don’t care,” he snapped, his eyes narrowing as he stared down at me. Malfoy hadn’t moved, still standing where he had been laying five minutes ago. I don’t know what he could’ve said, but I wished he said something.

“What’s it to you, anyways?” I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest. A year ago, I never would’ve thought I would’ve been fighting with Jack over Malfoy, of all people.

“His father was at my trial,” Jack’s voice dropped, clearly not wanting the others to hear. “He tried his hardest to keep my rejection, to keep me from coming here. I wasn’t going to transfer until Dumbledore overrode the decision the day before we left King’s Cross.”

My gaze dropped to the grass, processing his words. Jack hadn’t been accepted to Hogwarts until the day before we started our third-year. He had gone a full summer without knowing where he would be attending in the fall, if anywhere at all.

The words left my mouth before I could even think through them, but I guess my subconscious took over, saying what I had been too scared and guilty to admit. “Maybe that wouldn’t have been the worst thing,” I murmured, keeping my gaze on the grass. I could hear Jack’s breath hitch before mine did, followed by Malfoy’s low chuckle behind me. 

“You don’t mean that,” Jack whispered, hesitantly reaching out and placing a hand on my shoulder. It was like he had touched me with a red-hot pole, and I immediately jerked away, not looking at him.

I wasn’t sure if I truly meant it, but I had already said it, so I’m not sure if it mattered if I meant it. Malfoy took a step towards us, finally moving. He didn’t say anything though, his gaze fixated on me instead of Jack.

“Give me some time to think about it,” My voice was quiet, and I wasn’t even certain Jack had heard me. But the drop in his shoulders told me he had, his eyebrows knitting together in desperation. 

“Olive-”

“Give her time, Simmons,” Malfoy suddenly said beside me, his head snapping to Jack. Jack’s attention was finally torn from me, the worry on his face immediately twisting into anger the second his eyes laid on Malfoy. He pulled his wand from his robe pockets, and my eyes widened when I noticed. 

“Don’t pretend like you know her at all,” Jack snapped, his tone laced with pure venom. It was scary, how quickly he could change from someone so caring to not thinking twice about using his wand. As soon as the last word left his mouth, his hand raised, pointing his wand directly at Malfoy’s neck. Malfoy’s eyes widened, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.

Before I could even say anything, a stream of light came from the side of the quad, immediately wrapping around Jack. It dragged him to the ground, revealing him as a ferret when the spell died. My mouth dropped open, and Malfoy couldn’t hide his laughter beside me. Looking in the direction of the spell, I saw Moody limping across the quad, both of his eyes fixed on Jack, whose ferret self was still running in circles.

“I knew his father, you see. Worst bastard I’ve ever met,” Moody grumbled, flicking the tip of his wand up, Jack lifting with it. He tossed Jack around sharply, and the students who had gathered around the quad began to murmur, the occasional laugh seeping through. I couldn’t even say anything, completely bewildered by the fact that Moody had transfigured Jack into a ferret. 

Malfoy nudged my shoulder, nodding across the quad. McGonagall was striding over briskly, her robes flowing open behind her as she approached. Not wanting to get into trouble, Malfoy quickly grabbed our bags, ignoring Jack’s squeals and whimpers as Moody continued to toss him around. With one last look over my shoulder, I saw Moody’s tongue between his teeth as he focused on raising Jack high into the air, dropping the spell and then picking him back up inches above the ground.

I followed Malfoy off the grass, dipping into a dark corridor that ran perpendicular to the quad. McGonagall’s voice rang throughout the air as she scolded Moody, immediately turning Jack back into himself as she realized what had happened. I slowed to a stop, turning around to see Jack laying on the ground, rolling back and forth on his back. 

“I could tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair, boy!” Moody called after Jack, who was scrambling for his bag. McGonagall put herself between Jack and him, ending the confrontation. She didn’t seem to be worried about Malfoy or I, so the two of us retreated further away from the quad.

Once I had caught up, Malfoy handed me my bag, shouldering his own. I breathed out a ‘thanks’, running my grasp up and down the strap as I tugged it over my shoulder. 

“You alright?” he asked, dipping his head down so he could see my face. I nodded, shooting Malfoy a warm smile. Honestly, I was. Jack’s words hadn’t bothered me as much as I thought they would’ve. Rather, they had only angered me, and whether Jack knew it or not, they had widened the divide that was currently between us. 

The measly muffin hadn’t tied me over at much as I would’ve liked, so Malfoy and I walked to the Great Hall for lunch. Jack wasn’t present for the entire hour, so I assumed he had either sulked back to his dormitory, or was in a meeting with Moody and McGonagall. Katie and Blaise didn’t show either, but they were probably in the common room. 

So Malfoy and I sat alone, Crabbe and Goyle further down the table with the rest of the Slytherin team. The match was in two days, and I could overhear Warrington discussing different strategies with the others.

“Why aren’t you down there?” I asked Malfoy, who was sitting across from me. He chewed his bite of a sandwich before answering, shrugging.

“I created all those plays,” he answered simply, suddenly reminding me that he was the captain for this year. “Are you coming, by the way? To the match?”

I nodded, wiping my mouth with a napkin. “Planning on it, yeah.” I was suddenly grateful that I would only be sitting with Katie, Blaise, and Pansy, as the rest of our group was on the team. 

A smile tugged at Malfoy’s lips before he glanced down, hiding his face from me. I didn’t miss it though, and an identical smile soon fell onto my face. The rest of lunch went quickly, Malfoy and I never having a still moment in our conversation. 

After skipping the entire morning, we decided to attend Transfiguration. Given what had happened in the quad before lunch, I wanted to stay on McGonagall’s good side. At the beginning of the year, I had chosen a seat next to Katie, which I mentally thanked my past self for doing so. Blaise and Jack sat in front of us, like they did in Dark Arts. 

Malfoy and I entered the classroom together, him eyeing Jack’s empty seat as we neared our row. Katie was already sitting, twirling her quill around her fingers as I slipped in next to her. She didn’t ask about the quad, but we made small talk until McGonagall began the lesson. 

Crabbe and Malfoy had chosen to sit behind us in September, most likely to be as far away from McGonagall as physically possible. They constantly goofed off all lecture, the two of them snickering and whispering. Malfoy sat down in his usual spot, right behind me.

Transfiguration, although extremely intriguing, didn’t come as naturally to me as Potions. Before Christmas break, I had unsuccessfully turned a teacup into a fish, which flopped around on the table until it died. Much to McGonagall’s dismay, Jack and Blaise had found it absolutely hilarious. 

The cage of guinea-fowls were on McGonagall’s desk, the birds pecking away at the wire bars until she started the class. After thirty minutes of lecture, McGonagall released us to practice on the fowl, hoping that we would be able to turn them into guinea pigs by the end of the day. 

Katie was able to change hers right away, the guinea pig squeaking as it ran around the table. Jack and Blaise were working in front of us, Jack already holding a guinea pig against his chest as well. 

Ten minutes of incanting later, I had a tri-colored guinea pig scurrying around the desk in front of me, tiny snorts escaping its nose as it searched for food. When McGonagall concluded the class, I ignored Jack’s gaze as I returned my guinea pig to the cage on her desk. 

Malfoy was waiting at the entrance to the classroom when I shouldered my bag, leaning up against the stone. Without a second look, I joined him and the two of us walked back to the common room together. I could feel Jack’s stare on my back, and I smirked as I stared straight ahead, not caring if he couldn’t see it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who got 99/100 on my mechanical design midterm hehehehe
> 
> Omg the comments on both here and wattpad were WILD to read, i feel like people are definitely split down the middle about Jack like they either completely hate him or they don’t 
> 
> Also, just a question, what’s been your favorite scene/part/chapter/whatever in this fic?? I wanna know what you all have liked the best lol


	35. chapter thirty-three

“Here, Olive,” Pansy tossed a green and silver striped hat towards me, the long strings dangling off the ear flaps fluttering through the air. I caught it, eying the puff on top. Somehow, Pansy had managed to continuously find new things in the lost items closet, as I didn’t own a hat like this yet. Setting it on my bed, I thanked her, shooting her a small smile. She had laid off Malfoy since the Yule Ball, now pursuing another Slytherin I didn’t know very well.

The Slytherin match against Hufflepuff began in thirty minutes, as the start time had been pushed back by Hooch because of inclement weather. Though we didn’t have a clear view from our dormitory, I prayed the snow had ceased for the match. Standing in a flurry of wet snow didn’t sound incredibly appealing, at the moment. A storm had moved in yesterday, pushing the promise of sunny and warm days far into the future. 

“Are things between you and Jack alright?” Katie asked, looking over at me from where she was making her bed. I shrugged, finally feeling like I didn’t have to lie.

“Not really, no,” I admitted through a sigh, and she gasped. “Just a friend fight, though. Nothing big, I promise.” Katie returned my smile with a measly eyebrow raise, like she didn’t believe me. I gave her a pleading look, my eyes quickly darting to Pansy when she wasn’t looking. If I was going to tell Katie, I wanted to tell her in private, away from any opinions and comments Pansy could offer. Katie caught on to my silent cues, nodding as she dropped the subject.

“Well, you can always come to Hogsmeade with Blaise and I! He’s been talking non-stop about the Valentine’s sweets at Honeydukes, it’s getting rather annoying. Pansy, aren’t you going with Liam?” Katie redirected the conversation, her ability to do it so easily had always made me jealous. She seemed loads more mature for her age, always knowing the right thing to say or do.

Pansy nodded, a smile growing on her face as she clutched her robes against her chest, swooning at the thought. “He’s so cute,” she giggled, jumping onto her bed. Even though Pansy’s boy obsession could drive me up the wall at times, this felt like the most normal thing I had experienced this term. Just three girls talking about boys, gossiping as we readied ourselves for a school quidditch match. Whatever Malfoy and I had was kept hidden from the others, but I don’t think either of us minded it. 

“...went skiing with his parents over Christmas break, so he’s athletic, too.” Pansy finished her statement matter-of-factly, and I assumed she was still talking about Liam. He was another fourth-year, I had recognized the name from a few classes we had together. 

As Katie and Pansy gushed over their boys, I got dressed in the corner, draping a scarf over my shoulders and making sure to tuck gloves into my pockets. Although the snow had stopped, I was anticipating the bitter air it left behind. 

Malfoy had booked the quidditch field two hours before the match, wanting to make sure the team was warmed up and ready. As the three of us were returning from lunch earlier, we had passed the team on their way out. I snuck a glance at Jack when he wasn’t paying attention, too busy fixing a particular twig that was sticking straight out of his broom. His goggles were on his forehead, sitting just the way that paralleled Trelawney’s glasses. A small, sad smile settled over my lips as I had remembered teasing him about it only months ago. I had quickly followed Katie through the common room, looking away. 

Pansy was the first out of the dormitory, impatiently waiting in the hallway for Katie and I. Shrugging on my robes, I scuttled to the door, wrapping my scarf around my neck as I left the room. The three of us met Blaise in the common room, who was waiting for us as he was poking at the fire with one of the metal rods. 

We arrived at the Slytherin stands just minutes before Lee’s voice rang throughout the field, indicating the start of the match. Snape was sitting in the back row of seats, and Blaise managed to squish the four of us into the front row. A few first-years moved back under Blaise’s stare, immediately giving up their spots. 

Lee announced the players as he always did, each student racing onto the field the moment he yelled their names. Jack had gotten himself quite the reputation with the younger years, which was a tad bit ironic. When Lee announced Jack, the first-years behind us went feral, their screaming and whooping filling my ears. 

Jack swooped out of the locker room doors, circling the field a few times before hovering by the Slytherin goal posts. Pucey sat in front of the middle goal, already prepared to start blocking Hufflepuff’s shots. Montague and Warrington followed after Jack, the two of them flanking him as they waited for the match to start. 

Crabbe and Goyle flew out side-by-side, coming to a rest closer to the ground. My stomach flipped when Lee yelled out Malfoy’s name, a smile forming on my face before I could even stop it. I yelled with the others, Katie grabbing my hand as we started to stomp on the stands. The collective rumble from the Slytherin stands rolled through the field, coming to a stop a few moments later. 

The chasers and beaters on either team met at the halfway point of the field, watching Hooch as she released the snitch first, and then the bludgers and the quaffle. With a flurry of robes, the match began promptly, Jack already holding the quaffle under his arm. Montague flew diagonally behind him, keeping an eye out for any bludgers from the Hufflepuffs. Not a minute later, Jack had hurled the quaffle past Fleet, Hufflepuff’s keeper, earning Slytherin our first ten points.

While everyone was celebrating Jack’s score with whoops, yells, and stomping, my eyes landed on Malfoy, who was hovering high above the Slytherin goals. As if he had felt my stare, he glanced over, holding my gaze for a moment. My lips parted under his gaze, though I didn’t feel intimidated in the slightest. With everyone’s attention on the other side of the field, it felt like we were the only two on the grounds. 

But the moment ended much too soon, a rogue bludger just barely skimming past Malfoy’s blond hair. His attention was broken as his arm protectively covered his head, and I got lost in the crowd as the Slytherins turned to keep their eyes on Macavoy, one of Hufflepuff’s chasers, who was flying towards our goal posts. 

Pucey had managed to block her throw, sending the quaffle hurtling towards Montague with a spin of his broom. Montague caught it in mid-air, never once slowing as he dipped around a Hufflepuff beater. Warrington flanked him this time, Jack hanging back on our half of the field. Slytherin received another ten points, sending the house into a frenzy yet again. Even Snape had clapped, his eyes never once leaving the quaffle as it got tossed around between the two teams.

Thirty minutes later, there had been no sign of the snitch, and Hufflepuff was behind by eighty points. Malfoy had been right, the match was looking like an easy win. I’m sure he hated to admit it, but Jack appeared to be a natural chaser. He was quick and nimble on the broom, just barely skirting past Hufflepuff players. Plus, he had scored fifty points out of our eighty point lead.

I could tell Malfoy was getting frustrated, one hand gripping the handle of his broom as he used the back of his other to wipe off his goggles from time to time. It wasn’t snowing, so I assumed they were fogging up. Diggory, who was normally Hufflepuff’s seeker, had been suspended for the year because of his involvement in the tournament. His position was temporarily filled by a fifth-year, one I swore I had never seen before.

Their seeker dipped the moment Jack scored another goal, as if he was hoping Malfoy would be distracted by the cheering. However, Malfoy shot after him, leaning forward into his broom. He chased the Hufflepuff around the back of the stands, causing a murmur to sweep through the Slytherin crowd. Malfoy had gone this entire week bragging about the easiness of the promised win, so he’d better catch the snitch now. 

At the sudden movement, I glanced over to Jack, who had stolen the bat from Crabbe’s hands. A bludger was heading straight towards the two, and Jack struck it hard, sending it hurtling towards the Hufflepuff seeker. The crowd gasped as he got knocked off course, spinning away. At first, I had thought Jack was trying to hit Malfoy, but Malfoy was too far behind the Hufflepuff to get hit by the bludger. Jack must’ve seen the opportunity for Slytherin’s win, and taken it. It was a mature move, putting the Slytherin’s potential win before any issues he had with Malfoy. Hufflepuff’s seeker recovered, though it was much too late.

Seconds later, Malfoy reached out for the snitch, closing his fist tightly as he trapped the gold ball in his palm. Hooch blew her whistle, walking out onto the field. The Slytherin stands erupted in yelling and cheering, clearly excited that we had won. I wasn’t sure where we stood for the House Cup, but things were looking good. Both teams returned to the middle, wrangling the balls back into the trunk before Hooch locked it up.

I left the stands with the others, trailing behind Pansy as she followed Katie and Blaise. By the time we returned to the common room, it was already filled with other Slytherins, all celebrating the win. 

“I swear, Simmons could play every position by himself and still win the game,” I overheard a second-year boy gushing to his friends, the four of them chattering about the game by the fire. They must’ve noticed Jack’s hit with Crabbe’s bat. “Absolute mad-man on the field.”

I turned away from the conversation, raising my eyebrows in acknowledgement as Katie shot me a look. She was still curious about Jack and I, I knew it . Pansy was on the couch with Liam, her legs draped across his lap as they talked. The rest of the common room was filled with excitement, a flurry of voices sweeping through the air.

When the team entered through the common room door, the students erupted in cheering and clapping once more, welcoming the boys back after the win. Although he had gelled it back like normal, Malfoy’s hair had a slight wave to it, probably because of the leftover moisture in the air from the storm. He had his head bowed, following behind the others as he entered. 

As soon as Jack emerged from behind Montague and Warrington, he was swiftly picked up by some sixth-year boys, lifting him onto their shoulders.

“Simmons! Simmons! Simmons!” the house began chanting repeatedly, the sixth-years hoisting him up and down in the same rhythm. A wide grin spread over Jack’s face at the appreciation, his fist punching the air as he yelled with the others. Both Katie and Blaise’s attention were on him, allowing Malfoy to sneak over unnoticed. His arms were crossed over his chest, tucking the team robes underneath. 

“You think I could kick him off the team?” Malfoy muttered from my left, his eyes still on Jack. I smirked, knowing Malfoy was itching to utilize his power as captain. Shrugging, I kept my gaze on the celebration in the middle of the common room. Our arms were close, brushing against one another. If I were to lean a millimeter over, we would touch.

“Might as well kiss your chances at the house cup goodbye if you do,” I teased, a small smile playing on my lips. Malfoy scoffed from beside me and shook his head gently. The chanting was still going strong, Jack soaking up all the attention as he beamed down at the crowd surrounding him, giving a few high-fives to some first-years.

“Do you want to study in the library before dinner? I need to shower first, but afterwards,” Malfoy said so nonchalantly, I had to make sure I heard him right. He was still looking straight ahead when I glanced up at him, an eyebrow raising. A small smirk tugged at his lips, though, like he was expecting me to accept.

“Yeah,” I nodded, biting my lip as I looked back to Jack. He had been let down, now talking with some other students. His hands were on his hips, the hair by the nape of his neck wet with sweat. 

“Meet you in thirty,” Malfoy mumbled, and before I could even look over, he was weaving his way through the crowd. I watched as his blonde hair dipped underneath the arch of the boys’ entrance, disappearing into the shadows. Katie was talking with Crabbe and Goyle, congratulating them on a great match. Sneaking a look at Pansy, I saw she was still on the couch with Liam, so I took my chance to escape.

The girls’ hallway was deserted, as everyone was in the common room. Letting myself into our dormitory, I collapsed on my bed, taking note of the time. Thirty minutes had never felt longer. I busied myself with small tasks, like putting away the clothes I hadn’t had a chance to this week. When I was opening my dresser to shove in a tie, my eyes landed on the shiny aluminum of the chocolate frog Malfoy had given me last summer. I hadn’t eaten it, so it still sat underneath a mess of ties and scarves, his quick sign-off facing upwards. 

Twenty minutes later, Katie and Pansy burst into the room, laughing as they entered. I was making my bed, halfway on the cover as I stretched the sheet to the other corner. Pansy quickly excused herself, saying her and Liam were taking a walk around the grounds. 

“I’m taking a nap,” Katie announced the second Pansy left the room, jumping onto her bed. I chuckled at her dramatic huff, falling face first into her pillow. She must’ve been exhausted, as she was fast asleep by the time my thirty minutes of waiting were up.

I quickly grabbed my bag, sliding it onto my shoulder as I reached for a different set of robes. My previous ones were a bit damp from the game, so I abandoned them on the floor before I left the room. The common room had returned to its normal feel, a few students studying together at the table in the back corner. In the same second I stepped out of the girls’ wing, Malfoy appeared in the arch of the boys’. He nodded his head to the door, and I crossed the room, following him out into the dungeons. 

“Nice catch today,” I complimented as we were climbing the steps, shoving my hands into the pockets of my robes. As good as Jack was, Malfoy had ended the game. Technically, Malfoy had scored more points than Jack had, anyway.

“Thanks,” he responded politely, biting his bottom lip as we emerged onto the ground floor. The walk to the library was quick, passing a few other students on the way there. Nearly half the school had been at the match, and it seemed they were still hidden away in their dormitories. When Malfoy and I reached the library, I opened the door, letting myself in before holding it for Malfoy. His fingers wrapped around the side of the door, slipping in behind me. 

I was about to walk towards the back corner, spotting an empty table, but Malfoy cleared his throat. Now having my attention, he gestured with his head over to the shelves of books, taking a small step to make sure I would follow. I did, and the two of us passed the large room of tables and chairs, escaping into the tall racks. Furrowing my eyebrows, I hesitantly trailed Malfoy as he strode by each shelf, obviously confident he knew where to go. 

A few moments later, Malfoy stopped, and I peered around his shoulder. A couple small tables lined the windows, two chairs for each. In nearly two years, I had never come across this part of the library. Malfoy glanced over his shoulder, but my gaze will still transfixed on the tables. As I approached the corner, I could see a few other tables down the narrow hallway, but there was no sign of anyone. The chairs were pushed neatly in, the tops of the tables completely bare. 

The snow had picked up again after the match, small snowdrifts beginning to form again on the windowsills. If there was one thing I hated about the Slytherin common room and dormitories, it was the lack of windows. I took a liking to the cozy and dark atmosphere of the dungeons, but I hated not being able to properly see outside. It wasn’t that I was claustrophobic, it was just plain annoying.

Malfoy walked past me, further down the hallway before he stopped at the last table. A window sat neatly above it, giving us a view of the southern side of the grounds. I shuffled behind him, dropping my bag onto the table as I gazed out the window, my hands resting on the back of a chair as I leaned forward. Given the early sunsets at this time of year, the sky was already beginning to darken.

“How’d you find this place?” I chuckled, looking over at Malfoy as I unclasped my bag, beginning to pull textbooks and rolls of parchment out. 

“It’s the only place I can really study,” he shrugged his robes down his arms before he draped them over the back of his chair. “Away from everyone else in the library.”

Frowning, I sat down, tugging the chair further under the table. “I can’t believe Snape assigned two essays in a row,” I huffed, unrolling the outline I had begun a few nights ago. Both essays were monstrously long, Snape requiring at least five sheets worth each. 

Malfoy scoffed in agreement, leaning over the armrest of his chair so he could set his bag against the table’s leg. Initially, the two of us were able to focus easily. Twenty minutes later, I had the first two paragraphs of the essay written, but I had gotten distracted by the snowstorm. The flurries weren’t as intense as they had been last night, the snowflakes were rather drifting down gently. I could feel Malfoy’s gaze on me as I stared out the window, resting my head on my palm. 

“How do you make those swans?” I asked suddenly, tearing Malfoy’s attention away from his textbook. Swiveling my chin on my palm, I looked from the window to him, raising an eyebrow. He looked confused, so I decided to further explain. “The note you sent to Pansy last year. The one you sent flying across the room.”

Malfoy’s eyebrows raised in realization, sitting back in his chair. Before he rested his hands on top of his head, he set my old quill on the pages of his textbook. “I’ll teach you. They’re not too hard, it’s the spell that can mess it up,” he explained, moving one hand to grab an extra roll of parchment from beside his essay. Carefully, he ripped two sizable squares of parchment, using the edge of the table to get a clean tear. 

When he held a square to me, my fingers grasped it, bringing it back to my chest. I rested my wrists on the table, my index finger absentmindedly running along the torn edge of the parchment. 

Malfoy closed his textbook, pushing it away so he had a clear space to fold the swan. His essay and the quill followed moments later, resting on top of the book. “Fold it like this,” he started, laying the square of parchment flat on the table. He brought one corner to the opposite one and pressed down, creating a triangle. I followed along, my eyes darting between his hands and mine, making sure I was folding it correctly. 

He opened the paper, and folded it the other way. I tried to ignore the way his finger slid quickly down the fold, pressing it into the table. A minute later, both of us had four folds on our paper, the square now separated into eight sections. 

Although he had explained it clearly, I couldn’t quite get the next step. Frustrated, I scrunched my nose up, glaring down at the parchment. 

“It’s supposed to look like a frog, if that helps,” he added, noticing my discouragement. I shot him a look, arching my eyebrow. Chuckling, he held his hand out, and I gave him my square. A moment passed, and when he returned my parchment to me, it looked like a frog. 

I was able to follow his instructions for the next few steps, but Malfoy ended up finishing the swan for me. Five minutes later, two identical swans sat alongside one another on the table, one slightly rocked into the other. 

“It’s just a variation of the locomotion charm. Quite easy, really,” Malfoy shrugged, shaking his abandoned robes free for his wand. Muttering an incantation under his breath, he pointed the tip of his wand at the swans. They lifted under the spell, rising above the table. The two began to soar together, flying in small circles in the air. My mouth parted in admiration, watching the swans dip together, their fluttering wings just barely touching. 

When I looked back down for a split second, Malfoy’s eyes were already on me, a small smile on his face. 

“Exactly how many spells do you know?” I teased, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. He chuckled, raising his gaze to watch the swans. It was my turn for my eyes to sweep over his features, seeing his eyes glint under the light the candles in the library provided. 

“Loads,” he answered simply, resting his wand on his textbook. A few moments later, the swans touched back down on the table, coming to a gentle stop. I bit my lip, feeling the most peaceful I had since Christmas break. I wasn’t sure how, but Malfoy’s mere presence seemed to give that to me.

The rest of the night was filled with studying, the looming due date of the potions essay was enough to have us finish it before we left. 

I stifled a yawn as I threw my bag onto my bed, my robes slipping down my arms afterwards. Lighting my wand, I set it on my nightstand to give the room a gentle glow. Katie and Pansy were already asleep, so the room was dark. Deciding to save myself a few minutes in the morning, I unclasped my bag, pulling out the textbooks I wouldn’t need for tomorrow’s classes. The paper swan tumbled onto my bed, coming to a rest on its side. 

Malfoy had insisted I kept one, keeping the other for himself. Gently, my fingers plucked the swan from my bedsheets, holding it up so I could look at it once more. The folding was intricate, and the spell had invoked a realism I never thought possible for a paper bird. As I was setting it on my nightstand, the light from my wand illuminated the bird from the back. Squinting my eyes, I noticed something written, but it was hidden inside the folding. I hadn’t seen Malfoy scribble something, the squares were plain when he had torn them. 

Frowning, I carefully undid the folds, stretching the paper out flat. My heart skipped a beat when I read what was written, which was definitely in Malfoy’s handwriting.

“”Hogsmeade?”” 

It was a simple question, but it was so Malfoy. He was always one to get straight to the point, and he chose his words carefully.

I didn’t know when or how I could tell Malfoy my answer, but I knew one thing for sure: it was definitely yes.

\---

“Mornin’, Miss Olive!” Fred nearly sang, jumping in front of me before I could enter the Great Hall the following Tuesday morning. I grinned, already having a hunch for what he was about to say. Valentine’s Day fell on a Thursday this year, and the Hogsmeade visit was scheduled for this Saturday.

My eyes widened in fake shock as he revealed this year’s spread of valentines from behind his back. I had a feeling that the two would pick the business up again, and I had been right.

“You, my friend, can get a deal this year,” he offered, spreading them out between his two hands. My eyes swept over the different designs, hearts of all colors and sizes decorating the envelopes. 

“Is that so?” I laughed, taking one from the spread. Flipping it over, I saw a joke written on the back. 

“Five sickles each, or four valentines for a galleon. Just like last year,” Fred explained, reaching for the quill tucked behind his ear. A roll of parchment was held under his arm, pressing close into his side. “And, just for you, I’ll throw in a free one.”

“Too good to pass up,” I shot Fred a large smile, already swinging my bag around my torso. This entire week, I had kept a small amount of money on me, just in case I ran into one of the twins. Fred jotted down my order, writing down the names I gave him. I handed him a galleon, though I was getting five valentines. Katie, Luna, Ginny, Pansy, and Malfoy. I hadn’t talked to Ginny or Luna in a while, so the valentines would be a sweet gesture. 

“Thanks, Olive,” Fred smiled, shoving the galleon into the pocket of his robes. 

“Um,” I bit my lip, not sure how to say what I wanted. “On Malfoy’s, instead of a joke, could you just write ‘yes’?” I mumbled, looking into the Great Hall. He was already sitting at the table, Crabbe and Goyle across from him. 

I knew Fred wouldn’t be one to judge, and he nodded happily. “Of course, no problem.” Smiling widely, I waved Fred a goodbye, walking through the entrance. Jack was sitting with Montague and Warrington, and I decided to sit with Katie and Blaise, who were eating halfway between Jack and Malfoy.

“...stupid valentines. Just wait until my father hears about it. It has to be against the Ministry’s rules, selling products on Hogwarts’ grounds,” I overheard Malfoy scoff as I passed behind him, which caused my heart to seize, but not in the good way. It was too late to take back my order, so I pushed his words out of my head before I sat down beside Katie. 

I don’t think I regretted buying him one, and I really hoped it wouldn’t bite me in the ass come Saturday. Breakfast went by quickly, Blaise practically foaming at the mouth when he told me about the new Valentine’s Day candies that Honeydukes was selling. I had never pegged him to have a sweet-tooth, but he apparently did.

The three of us left for Dark Arts when the bell tower rung, along with the rest of the students from each house. We filtered out of the hall, separating down various hallways and corridors for our first class. I walked alongside Katie, Blaise on her other side. As we were climbing the staircase, Katie held my attention as she was gossiping about something. I had missed it, but Malfoy had hung back, standing at the entrance to the Great Hall with Fred. Although Malfoy’s face held a scowl, Fred’s had a shit-eating grin on it as he scribbled something onto his sheet of parchment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kk i'm gonna go make an apple crisp now bye enjoy!!
> 
> for the first time ever, I don't have anything to say lolol sooooo how was your day?? pls tell me in the comments :)


	36. chapter thirty-four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you read this chapter, PLEASE check out the pic I attached!! One of my lovely readers on here made an edit for the greenhouse scene (I cry too) and it’s absolutely beautiful!! Literally everything I was envisioning when I was writing those two chapters :’) Her tag is @ionaa_craddockk. I'm also going to update the greenhouse chapters to include the pic :)

Malfoy’s comment on the twin’s valentines couldn’t leave my mind all week. I had tried to convince myself it wasn’t as big of a deal as I was making it, that he wouldn’t have asked me to Hogsmeade if he hadn’t meant it. Honestly, I didn’t mind the sneaking around. It was fun, exciting even, to have something that I could keep to myself. I think the same went for Malfoy, though he never would admit it. 

Snape had scheduled an intermediate quiz this Friday, wanting to test our knowledge of the Skele-Gro and various antidotes we had learned so far. His announcement on Monday had dampened my mood for the week, the sudden stress now smothering the excitement I had for Hogsmeade.

Potions on Wednesday was spent partially as review, Snape giving us the other half of the class to brew Skele-Gro or an antidote of our choice. 

“We could do the Wiggenweld potion,” Malfoy suggested, his hands flipping through his textbook. Snape had kept the change in seating, so I still sat beside Malfoy while Blaise and Jack were partnered. Two weeks ago, I had overheard Jack muttering some bullshit answer to Blaise about Snape’s decision, and Blaise had dropped his questioning ever since. 

I nodded, agreeing with Malfoy’s suggestion. We had brewed it last week, but it took us longer than we would’ve liked. I could tell Malfoy got frustrated with it, as he usually had no problem brewing. Then again, so had I. 

“I can get ingredients,” I offered, pushing myself off the stool. For the first few potions that Malfoy and I brewed as a team, I had gathered the jars. Finding them in the supply closet was difficult, I was so used to Jack always getting them. Even a Ravenclaw had sent a dirty look for holding up the queue, but I had sent her an equally mean one back.

Given the length of the procedure for the Wiggenweld potion, it was a miracle it only called for five ingredients. Clutching two jars in one hand and three in the other, I returned to the table before Malfoy had grabbed his cauldron. His father seemed to buy him new ones every so often, the shininess of the pewter never clouding. 

However, I was still using the one I had bought with Aunt Beth the summer before my third-year. The bottom of the cauldron was beginning to grow a weird film, which I could never scrub off no matter how hard I tried, and discoloration was spreading throughout the inside walls. Since being paired together, we exclusively used his, unless Snape required a double batch of the potion. 

I was spreading out the ingredient jars in order, a habit I had picked up from watching Jack, when Malfoy returned, his cauldron swinging back and forth as he walked. He set it on the stand, lighting the fire beneath with a twist of the nozzle. 

Thankfully, the Wiggenweld potion didn’t call for much preparation on the brewer’s part. Rather, the procedure consisted mostly of pouring ingredients in until a certain color showed. That was the part that Malfoy and I had struggled with, accidentally pouring too much or too little. 

Malfoy snatched the bottle of salamander’s blood off the table, unscrewing it as his eyes swept over the instructions. 

“If we mess it up again,” he muttered a weak threat under his breath, trailing off before he could finish. I still hadn’t answered his question in the crane, waiting for the valentine to tell him. Honestly, if I hadn’t set the crane down where I did, I might’ve never seen the message. And besides, I was looking forward to seeing his face in Dark Arts on Thursday, anyways.

“We won’t, not if we both keep an eye on it,” I scoffed, making sure to emphasize the “both,” as Malfoy couldn’t keep his eyes on the concoction last time. The potion had gone awry when I looked away for a moment, picking up my textbook that I had accidentally knocked off. Pressing my hands flat on the table, I peered into the cauldron. Over the summer, Snape had reconfigured the stands as well, moving them from the floor to the top of the tables. The two stands sat directly in the middle of the table, blocking my view of Jack and Blaise when our cauldrons were present.

Hesitantly, Malfoy tapped his forefinger against the top of the bottle, letting a few drops of salamander’s blood into the cauldron. They began to pool at the bottom, steam radiating off them moments later as they heated. I held my breath until the red color morphed into a hue of orange, indicating we had done the first couple steps correctly. Malfoy took the wooden spoon from my waiting hand, giving the mixture a little stir before he continued to add the blood drop by drop. After six more successful color changes, Malfoy’s face broke out into a small smile, the worried crease leaving his forehead. 

I tossed in five lionfish spines, one after the other. After Malfoy gave the potion a quick stir, it turned a bright yellow, indicating I could add the rest of the spines. Ten minutes of alternating between stirring and adding ingredients later, our potion bubbled happily, the turquoise color incredibly pretty. Malfoy lowered the flame, bringing the potion down a simmer. We were to leave it as so for half an hour, hopefully yielding a successful potion then. 

Blaise and Jack had opted for the Skele-Gro, which required their attention for the full brewing time. Silently, I appreciated their choice, as it let Malfoy and I hide from them behind the cauldrons. I was sitting on my stool, resting my head on my hand as I waited for Malfoy to return from the supply closet. 

“That went better,” Malfoy commented as he peered into the cauldron as he sat. Working with Malfoy hadn’t been as bad as I had expected it to be, but maybe I was just putting myself above Crabbe. There had been so many times where Malfoy had stopped Crabbe from adding the wrong measurement, or the completely wrong ingredient. We worked swiftly and naturally, seemingly always knowing what the other was doing. 

Jars were quickly unscrewed, smoothly slid across the table into the other’s waiting hand. I always had the spoon ready when Malfoy needed it, and he always had the cauldron heated before we even added the first ingredient. We were a well-oiled machine, and I could tell it was already a race for who was to outscore the other this year. 

I nodded as I watched Snape approach, his arms hidden beneath his robes. He stared down his nose into Malfoy’s cauldron, a surprised frown settling on his face moments later. “Decent work,” he gave us a nod of approval, before moving onto Blaise and Jack.

“Mr. Simmons, is your skull that thick that you can’t tell the difference between four and five measurements of your standard ingredient?” Snape rumbled, snatching the jar out of Jack’s hands. I snickered as I overheard Snape’s scolding, turning my cheek towards the two of them. Malfoy glanced over at me, a smirk on his lips. 

Jack muttered something unintelligible, throwing the measuring spoon on the table in a huff, where it skidded a few paces before coming to a rest. Snape corrected the bubbling potion, the disgusting green color that was threatening to spill over receding back into the cauldron. Blaise looked embarrassed, one hand resting on his forehead as he thanked Snape with a distraught look on his face. Snape left, moving on to the table of Ravenclaws that sat beside us. 

“I told you to measure more carefully,” Blaise muttered, sitting up straight so he could continue following the instructions. He was clearly irritated with Jack’s impulsiveness, which only grew the smile on my face a bit more. 

“Sorry, mate. Just been distracted recently,” Jack sighed, shaking his head. “Potions is the last thing on my mind.”

Just hearing Jack’s voice had reminded me of a question I had been begging to ask Malfoy for ages, but never got the chance to. Deciding to ask before I forgot it, I nudged Malfoy’s leg with my foot. His head snapped towards me, abandoning his stare on the over-boiling cauldron of another pair of Slytherins. 

Leaning forward, I lowered my voice so Jack and Blaise couldn’t hear. “Why didn’t you say Jack’s parents were Death Eaters when he called your father one? Last spring?” I questioned, and Malfoy’s face immediately twisted into a mix of confusion and anger. I knew it probably wasn’t the best time to ask him something like this, given the full classroom around us. But each table was busy with their potions, not bothering to look over at us. 

Malfoy thought about it for a minute, but he still gave me a half-assed answer. Shrugging, he mumbled back a simple, “I dunno.” Rolling my eyes, I sat back on my stool. If I had asked him anywhere else, I probably could’ve drawn out a better answer from him. 

“I mean, I knew,” Malfoy continued, leaning towards me this time. His voice was still low, and I quickly glanced across the table, ensuring that Blaise and Jack were busy with the Skele-Gro. “My father was out a lot that summer, spending a lot of time at the ministry.”

I nodded, partially satisfied with his answer. It had been bugging me for a long time, why Malfoy hadn’t retaliated against Jack when he was practically offered the opportunity on a golden platter. And for some reason, the fact that Malfoy hadn’t made me find him even more intriguing. 

\---

The Dark Arts classroom was buzzing with anticipation before Moody started the lesson. He had been coming a bit late these past few weeks, but I don’t think anyone cared enough to relay the information to Dumbledore. A few minutes late was a few minutes we didn’t have to learn. 

“If Blaise gets any, and I mean any, valentines from other girls, I won’t hesitate to sneak into their dormitories tonight,” Katie muttered under her breath, her overprotectiveness causing me to smile. I leaned onto the table, folding my arms over one another before I rested my head on top. Studying for Snape’s quiz had kept me up most of the night, my eyes straining for hours under the light from my wand.

“I’m sure he won’t get any-” I started, but the doors flew open, their hinges squeaking under the sudden force. It wasn’t Moody though, as valentines began to fly through the air. Many students jumped up in excitement, watching the envelopes settle on desks. Jack and Blaise had turned around in front of us, their arms resting along the back of their chairs as their eyes followed some valentines. Blaise’s right eye dropped in a wink towards Katie as one landed on her desk, a large ‘B’ written in the top right corner. 

After nearly a minute of fluttering about, all the envelopes had settled on desks, stacking neatly in front of students who received them. I had gotten six, and Katie had three spread in front of her. She rolled her eyes at my pile, muttering something sarcastic about how much fun it was to be single.

My fingers flicked through the envelopes, catching the names of those who I had expected one from. Ginny and Luna, as well as Katie and Pansy. The last two, however, tugged at my heart strings in completely different ways. Upwards and excitedly at the sight of Malfoy’s name, and downwards and solemnly at Jack’s initials. 

I snuck a quick glance at Malfoy, who must’ve had at least ten on his desk. My stomach flipped as I watched him flip through them, but I noticed the bored look on his face until he reached the last one. His mouth slipped into a smile, immediately dropping the other cards onto the desk. Crabbe was saying something next to him, but I could only see his mouth moving as Malfoy half-heartedly listened. Malfoy’s slim fingers ripped the envelope open easily, opening the flap before he pulled the card out. Fred had chosen a fairly plain one, but I could just barely make out a mess of black ink in the direct middle. 

Malfoy’s eyes swept over Fred’s writing, using one hand to keep the card open. A smirk tugged at his lips before he looked up, his gaze settling on Moody’s desk as he thought about something. Crabbe continued to talk, though I think Malfoy had stopped listening a while ago. Opening the cover of his textbook, he slipped my valentine underneath, tucking it away.

“Jack sent you one?” Katie nearly hissed, her eyes flicking to the two in front of us to ensure they hadn’t heard. Her voice made my head snap over, blinking a few times to clear my head. I looked down at the envelopes I was still holding, my eyes falling on the “J.S.” Swallowing, I nodded, pulling it out. 

My finger slid under the sealed flap, releasing the card moments later. I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath until I flipped open the card, my eyes falling on the written note. It was only a single sentence, no joke or signature. Katie was leaning over my shoulder, nosey like always. Jack was still talking with Blaise though, his back to the two of us. 

“”I hope he treats you better than I did.””

Katie immediately started questioning who Jack was talking about, but I already knew. Deciding to bite my tongue, I shrugged and proposed that maybe it was from a different J.S., or accidentally got delivered to the wrong person. 

Jack and I hadn’t talked since the day at the quad, and rightfully so. I was furious at him, although I had played it cool on the surface these past two weeks. But his valentine was the first step to moving forward, even if we were headed down different paths. 

Since Moody hadn’t appeared yet, Katie got out of her chair, walking up behind Blaise and wrapping her arms around his neck loosely. She started talking with him and Jack, and I watched them for a moment before I glanced back down at the other unopened envelope. Fred had scribbled “D. Malfoy” in the corner, but it didn’t look as elegant as when Malfoy wrote it himself.

I tore the envelope open carefully, my fingers tugging the valentine out. Flipping the card open, my eyes swept over the joke Fred had relayed in the dead center. 

“”What’s worse than a muddy toddler? A free house-elf.””

A snort escaped my nose as I read through the joke a few times. It wasn’t funny at all to anyone on the outside looking in, it was something that only Malfoy and I could laugh about. Smiling to myself, I slipped the card back into the envelope, before tucking it between two textbooks in my bag. 

Unfortunately, Moody did show after ten more minutes, hobbling to the front of the classroom as he immediately began the lesson. We had been learning about erklings for the past couple weeks, the small things incredibly creepy. Moody had planned for us to perform jinxes on them next week, so today was filled with further lecture, delving deeper into the backstory of the creatures.

\---

On Saturday morning, Pansy had woken me up by hitting me directly in the face with a pillow. Katie was laughing from her bed, watching as I nearly kicked Pansy to the other side of the room, extremely annoyed she had woken me. Students weren’t leaving for Hogsmeade until after lunch, but it was already nearing eleven-thirty. 

As I was getting dressed, I realized I had never told Katie, or Pansy, for that matter, that Malfoy had asked me to tag along with him to Hogsmeade. I had to turn my back to them to hide my smirk, buttoning my jeans. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how Malfoy was planning to go about this.

“Merlin, you take forever, Olive!” Pansy groaned, waiting by the door. Katie was tying her shoes, a beanie already fitted on her head. I shot Pansy a look, causing her to roll her eyes. Two minutes later, though, we were walking to the Great Hall for breakfast. My stomach was growling at the thought of a carb-loaded meal, a blueberry muffin sounding particularly delicious. 

The boys were already sitting as we approached, an empty spot on Malfoy’s left. As always, Katie slipped in next to Blaise, and Pansy walked a bit further down the table to sit with Liam. I guess the two of them still had a fling. For what felt like the first time in forever, I didn’t feel the need to sneak a glance at Jack. Like he wasn’t even there, I sat down next to Malfoy, who had four layers of a waffle stacked on his fork. 

Thankfully, a platter of assorted muffins was sitting in the middle of the table, and I happily grabbed a blueberry one.

“What do you wanna do?” Malfoy asked through a mouthful of waffle and syrup, causing me to wince.

“Something I haven’t done yet,” I shrugged, peeling the paper wrapper off the muffin. During the past Hogsmeade visits, I had really only explored the Three Broomsticks or Honeydukes, and I was itching to see what else was in the tiny village. 

Malfoy sucked in a joking breath after he swallowed, acting like it was a tall request. I rolled my eyes, but a small chuckle escaped my lips. “I can do that,” he agreed, shooting me a small smile before stuffing his mouth again. As I was leaning forward to grab a goblet of hot chocolate, my knee knocked against his, causing his spine to suddenly straighten. I smirked though, knowing exactly what I was doing.

Twenty minutes later, the students had begun to assemble near Hogwarts’ entrance, a hushed excitement weaving through the crowd. Dumbledore hadn’t approved a visit since last term, and this was to be the first time the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students joined us. Filch pushed open the gates, letting the group of students flood down the cobblestone path. I walked alongside Malfoy, the others in front of us. 

As always, many students immediately ducked into the pub, desperate for a butterbeer and non-Hogwarts food. I saw Katie and Blaise disappear through the door, and honestly, they were the only two I had been worried about. Malfoy and I strolled down the street, looking at the Valentine’s Day decorations plastered to the windows of the shops. 

Malfoy began to lead me towards Honeydukes, walking a few steps ahead of me. His hands were buried deep in his pockets since the February air was still a bit nippy. Once we entered, he nodded his head towards the back corner. I followed him, realizing he was leading me to the same corner he had over a year ago at my first Hogsmeade visit. 

“All the good stuff,” he said under his breath once we came to a stop, his eyes sweeping over the shelves filled with candy. Blaise had been right, there was plenty of red and pink packaging, and I swore I saw love potions when I entered. Having now taken a stronger liking to them than chocolate frogs, I grabbed a couple bags of nougat chunks. The label promised an assortment of flavors, and I was excited to try them out. 

Malfoy settled on a few boxes of candy I had never tasted, kneeling on the ground to take a few chocolate frogs. When he stood, he noticed the nougat bags in my hands, scrunching his nose up like he had on the quad. 

“Absolute rubbish,” he scoffed, but there was a playful glint in his eye. Rolling mine, I turned to my right, perusing the rest of the shelves. Malfoy shuffled behind me, never more than a couple feet away. Satisfied with the two bags of candy, I swiveled on my heel to face Malfoy again. He was staring out the shop’s window, his gaze firmly set. When I cleared my throat, he looked down, breaking his trance. 

“Can we get a butterbeer after we buy these?” I asked, raising my hands to show him the bags. He nodded, and followed me to the registers. As I was about to buy mine, Malfoy shoved me aside rather aggressively, sending me stumbling to the left. I was about to protest once I caught my balance, but Malfoy already had a handful of change and was giving it to the cashier.

“Malfoy, I can buy those for myself,” I tried, rejoining Malfoy at the counter. My arm reached over him, hoping that I could intercept the transaction. Malfoy shrugged away my arm, not letting me even get close. It was a childish fight, and I’m sure we looked insane to the other students in Honeydukes.

“It’s no big deal, Wilkinson,” he muttered, a small smirk on his lips as the cashier looked between us with a confused expression. I sighed, finally accepting that Malfoy would pay if it was the last thing he did. 

Five minutes later, Malfoy had bought both our shares of candy, the cashier bagging them together. We walked slowly down the cobblestone street, the sky an icey blue above us. The bag swung back and forth by Malfoy’s side, the candy swaying back and forth. 

“You know, you could’ve just told me your answer instead of making me wait five days,” he chuckled, his gaze fixed on the Three Broomsticks sign. 

“You know, you could’ve asked me in person,” I retorted. Malfoy’s chuckles turned into a snort, but he pulled the door to the pub open, holding it open for me after he entered. It was fairly busy, the sound of students chatting and laughing filling the air. He must’ve spotted an empty table near the back corner, as he crossed the room without a word, trusting that I would follow. 

When we reached the table, I shrugged off my robes, draping them over the back of the chair before I sat. Malfoy ordered two butterbeers for us, and I gave the owner a warm smile before she walked away. From what I could see, the others weren’t inside, so they must’ve been milling around the village.

“I wasn’t expecting to get a valentine from you,” I said, leaning back into the chair and crossing my arms over my chest. Malfoy looked away, staring out the window that was just above the edge of the table. 

“They’re pretty stupid, if I’m being honest,” Malfoy scoffed, shaking his head gently. I knew he wasn’t being completely serious, as he hadn’t sent me one for no reason. I wondered when he had bought one though, I had never seen him talking to Fred or George.

“Whatever you say,” I teased, sitting upright when the owner came back with our drinks. Thanking her, I brought mine across the table, the glass sliding easily over the wood. 

“Besides, you sent me one, too,” Malfoy added, though it wasn’t a strong point to his argument in the slightest. Taking a sip of the butterbeer, I swiftly collected the foam it left behind with a swipe of my tongue. 

“Well, I still can’t make a swan. You basically did the entire thing for me,” I shrugged, setting the glass back on the table. It was true, Malfoy had eventually taken over the folding for me when I had gotten too frustrated. 

“We can work on that,” Malfoy responded almost immediately, dropping his gaze to the table. For the first time ever, I think he was actually embarrassed, or insecure about what he had just said. 

“Yeah,” I said through a smile, even though he couldn’t see it. The two of us fell into an easy conversation, and two more butterbeers later, we were happily satiated. 

“There you two are! I swear, I thought you guys returned to Hogwarts already,” Katie called, crossing the pub. Blaise followed her, a few bags in his grasp. She had been complaining non-stop about the things she needed to restock on, and I assumed she had already done so. Blaise set the bags on the table, collapsing down next to Malfoy. 

Blaise and Katie immediately pulled us into their previous conversation, though Malfoy and I weren’t paying much attention. Resting my head on my fist, I snuck a glance at him every so often, my eyes tracing over his profile before turning back to Katie when she asked me for my opinion on something. 

Nearly thirty minutes passed, mostly filled with Katie talking and Blaise jumping in occasionally. My mug was sitting empty on the table, and Malfoy’s was nearly done as well. I caught his eye, and he looked like he wanted to escape them just as much as I did. 

“I’m pretty tired, I think I might head back,” I faked a yawn, standing up as I gathered my robes. Katie nodded, blowing me a kiss and telling me she’d see me later. Malfoy said his goodbyes to them as well, pushing in his chair after he stood. 

Malfoy and I weaved through the tables, eventually letting out onto the main street. “What haven’t you done?” he asked, clearly not having forgotten what I had asked for that morning.

I shrugged, turning and beginning to walk backwards towards the trail that would lead us back to Hogwarts. “I’m perfectly content, let’s just head back.” It was true. It was the first day I hadn’t thought about Jack at all, my mind replacing him with the memories I was creating with Malfoy.

“Fair enough,” Malfoy chuckled, jogging a bit to catch up with me. The two of us walked side-by-side, the bag still swinging on Malfoy’s arm. Only a few moments later, though, it would be long forgotten on the side of the trail.

“Oi, Olive!” A figure pushed himself off the Shrieking Shack, and I had to squint to see who it was. It took a few more steps, but I finally realized it was Ivan, and he had one of his Durmstrang friends beside him. My breathing picked up, now knowing they were the boys who had no problem making Jack do what he did. Malfoy slowed behind me, raising an eyebrow at the two of them.

“Moved on from Jack to Malfoy pretty quickly, huh?” Ivan retorted, uncrossing his arms as he approached the two of us. Malfoy stiffened next to me, his mouth set in a firm line. I rolled my eyes, arching my brow at Ivan.

“So tell me, Olive. What exactly did Malfoy tell you?” Ivan’s glance quickly shifted to Malfoy before it settled on me. His eyes were dark, absolutely no emotion behind them. 

“I already told you, you brainless troll. Nothin-” I spat, but Ivan suddenly grabbed the collar of my robes. Yelping at the aggressive movement, my eyes squeezed shut as I prepared for the worst. Like he had in the hallway, he shoved me against the Shrieking Shack. I could hear the wood creaking under my weight, faint screams coming from deep inside the house. 

Malfoy started after us, but Ivan’s friend immediately grabbed his collar as well. I hadn’t expected Malfoy to be overpowered so easily, but the Durmstrang boy had a strong grip on Malfoy’s robes.

“Nothing, you say?” Ivan’s face leaned into mine, and I turned away, my cheek pressing against the abrasive wood. I could feel his warm breath on my skin, spreading over my face. “Karkaroff has worked too hard to keep Durmstrang in this tournament, we can’t let anything ruin it now.”

I nearly scoffed, a gentle huff escaping my lips at his words. This was all about the tournament? And had absolutely nothing to do with Jack?

“Think it’s funny?” Ivan snapped, clearly picking up on my amusement. Against my better judgement, I nodded my head against the wood, my cheek rubbing up and down. I could hear Ivan’s breathing pick up in anger, which caused mine to as well, though mine was in fear. 

“Levski, get your hands off her,” Malfoy muttered, struggling under the grasp Ivan’s friend had on his collar. He tried to take a step forward, but the boy yanked him back. He was huge, he must’ve been a seventh-year at the very least. “I swear-”

Ivan only laughed at the statement, and my eyes widened when he pressed his forearm against my neck. “You swear what, Malfoy? That your father will step in? That’s all you pathetic Malfoys are good for, passing the effort onto someone else. What a worthless excuse for a family.” 

Frantically, I tried to look at Malfoy, but given my position, I couldn’t. And that’s when the panic set in. I wasn’t in fight or flight though, I was simply stuck in ‘freeze.’ I hated feeling powerless, especially under Ivan’s arm. 

Although I couldn’t see him, Malfoy’s fists clenched as Ivan’s words hit him. Malfoy had been telling the truth in the staircase, the Levski’s were definitely more elitist than his family. Which was saying something.

I knew I wasn’t strong enough to fight back against Ivan, and the decreasing supply of oxygen to my brain was hindering any thoughts I could’ve had. My muscles weakened, my legs beginning to collapse beneath me. Pathetically, my hands clawed at Ivan’s arm, silently begging for him to release me. I could hear Malfoy shoot back an insult, but I couldn’t make it out. Everything was becoming fuzzy, all five senses beginning to give out. 

Ivan must’ve been distracted by the fight with Malfoy, as he misdirected the anger boiling inside him. His forearm pressed harder against my neck, completely cutting off my airway. I struggled to breathe, the sound of my gasps weak and small.

And a moment later, my vision went completely black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m finding out that a lot of my readers are from all over the world (which is insane, I can’t believe the stuff I’m writing is reaching that far), so I just wanted to put somewhat of a statement about my upload schedule!! I try to update every day anywhere from 12:00-2:00 pm PST!! I usually write the chapter the night before and then edit it the next morning/in between my classes before I post it :) Also, I’ll usually note if I’m planning on skipping a day. But hopefully that’ll help you in converting to your specific time zone and letting you know when to keep an eye out for an update!
> 
> Also, when Malfoy opened his valentine from Olive, I was envisioning him smirking like that one scene from OOTP when umbridge puts that pin or whatever the hell on him


	37. chapter thirty-five

My lungs burned when I took my first conscious breath. It was sharp, but extremely shaky.

Seconds later, my eyelids fluttered open and immediately squinted against the bright light around me. Raising the heels of my palms to my eyes, I pressed down gently, enveloping me in the darkness yet again. My body felt like I had been thrown off the Express while it took a curve.

“How are you feeling, dear?” The voice was kind and motherly, and it took me a second to match the name to the voice. Madam Pomfrey. At least I had ended up in the hospital wing. Slowly, I pulled away from my hands, my neck straightening as my eyes adjusted. 

My head felt like I had taken a couple spins in a washing machine, my brain feeling like it was pushed up against my right temple. A sigh left my lips as I looked over, seeing Pomfrey smiling down at me. Her face was the clearest, but I could see others in my peripheral vision. 

“Awful,” I moaned truthfully, leaning my head back. A pillow was waiting, the back of my head sinking into the feathers. 

“I’ll be right back, everyone stay put,” Pomfrey excused herself, her hand resting on Katie’s shoulder as she passed behind her. Once she turned her back though, my friends immediately gathered around the bed.

Katie sat next to my legs, smiling softly at me as she reached for my hand. “What the hell happened,” I murmured, too exhausted to inflect my voice. My eyes fell shut, and my breathing slowed. Her thumb began to swipe over the back of my hand, squeezing ever so lightly.

“Ivan accidentally choked you out,” she responded, and I could hear the small amusement behind her tone. I agreed with it though, Ivan choking me out was the last option I had expected him to take. Especially with the wand that I had seen sticking out of his pocket.

A weak chuckle left my mouth, my eyes just barely opening so I could look back at her. I didn’t understand how I felt this discombobulated though, after simply passing out. “That’s it?” I asked, prompting Katie for more information. There had to have been more. 

She bit her lip, staying silent until Malfoy answered for her. “He stupified you when you were coming to,” he muttered, and my head rolled to my right to follow his voice. He was sitting on the bed adjacent to mine, his legs draped over the side as his hands were clasped in his lap. And he had the nastiest black eye I had ever seen.

“At least give a girl the chance to defend herself,” I grumbled, a scowl setting on my lips. As much as Ivan came off to be an alpha male, the move was pathetic and filled with insecurity. An amused huff left Malfoy’s nose, his eyebrows flicking upwards quickly before he winced. Bringing his hand to his eye, he gently brushed his fingertips over his brow bone, tracing the purplish-blue bruise.

“We were walking back when we saw what was happening,” Blaise jumped in, and my eyes darted to him. Jack was standing diagonally behind him, his narrowed gaze pinned on the ground while his arms were tightly crossed over his chest. A dark bruise also adorned his face, though it was spreading downwards from his cheekbone. A small cut sat on his bottom lip, but it was already crusted over in a dark-red hue.

“Alright, you all. Get going, Olive needs another few hours of rest,” Pomfrey announced as she scuttled back, a bottle of something in her right hand. Confused, I started to sit up, the pillow slipping behind my head as I lifted it off. I didn’t see it, but Malfoy’s eyes immediately darted to me, worry pooling behind his irises. 

“I feel fine, Madam Pomfrey. I promise,” I tried, but she dismissed my plea with a shake of her head. My head still felt like my brain had been smashed, and I think I could feel stitches in my knee, but I wanted nothing more than to get out of the hospital wing. 

“Nonsense,” she handed me a small bottle, wrapping my fingers around it for me as she clasped her two hands around mine. “Drink this, it’ll help with the concussion.” I nodded, immediately unscrewing the cap the moment she took her hands away. “Oh! For your knee, rub some of this on it to soothe any pain.” Pomfrey pulled a star-shaped tin out of her pockets, placing it on the bed beside me. Smiling, she patted the tin before she turned and began to usher the others away. 

They complied, Katie squeezing my hand once more before she stood. Her and Blaise walked side-by-side, Jack trailing behind them. I hadn’t even seen him at Hogsmeade, I had assumed he hadn’t gone. Malfoy caught my gaze as he slipped off the bed, a small smile on his face as his eyes swept over my face. He left, following the others as Pomfrey practically herded them out of the wing. 

I brought the potion to my lips, taking it all down in one swallow. It tasted interesting, a slight bitter tinge to it. However, the pounding in my head immediately subsided, allowing me to think straight.

All I really remembered was Ivan’s forearm on my throat and not being able to see Malfoy. Selfishly, I wondered what happened to the candy that Malfoy had brought. 

Curious as to what happened to my knee, I threw back the sheet. At some point, Pomfrey had dressed me in a temporary gown, giving her access to my knee. I prayed that the others hadn’t seen that part. A large gash, nearly four inches, ran down the side of my knee. Pomfrey had stitched it up nicely, each stitch spaced equally distant from one another. 

“Star grass salve,” I muttered to myself as I read the label of the tin, holding it above the bed. Popping the lid off, I spread a layer over my knee, careful to not catch on the stitches. The throbbing diminished, and I pressed the lid back onto the tin.

I rested my head against the pillow, closing my eyes. I’m sure I looked peaceful, but I had never wanted to punch Ivan more than I did in this moment. Too exhausted to think anymore, I felt my consciousness slipping away again, although this was into a welcomed sleep.

Not a moment later, I heard my last name being hissed through the air of the hospital wing. Opening one eye, I raised my head a millimeter off the pillow. Malfoy was standing in the doorway of the hospital wing, his eyes darting to Pomfrey’s back every so often. She was a bit older, and her hearing wasn’t as good as it used to be.

I sat up straight, shooting Malfoy a look. He tiptoed behind her, only making a break for it once he had passed. Chuckling, I watched him dash across the wing, stopping as soon he reached the end of my bed. I readjusted my position as my eyes followed him when he tugged the privacy curtain around me, closing us off to the rest of the wing. There was one other student, a Gryffindor, who was moaning on a bed near the entrance about a fever. I hoped Pomfrey was going to be busy with her, and let Malfoy and I be.

“What are you doing?” I laughed, Malfoy’s eyes slightly wild as he dropped to his knees alongside my bed. He reached into the pockets of his robes, pulling out a bag of nougat chunks.

“Blaise carried you back, so I was able to get these,” Malfoy responded, shoving the cellophane into my hand. I untied the string, opening the bag as quietly as I could. Both of us winced at the crinkling sound, Malfoy poking his head around the curtain to ensure Pomfrey hadn’t heard. I took a small bite off the corner of a nougat square, my eyes watching Malfoy as he returned to the side of the bed. 

“What actually happened?” I asked quietly, hoping he would tell me what Katie missed. She had only been there for a part of it, after all. He rested his forearms on the bed, interlocking his fingers as his gaze darted back and forth.

MALFOY’S POINT-OF-VIEW

“What haven’t you done?” I asked as I was following her out of the Three Broomsticks. The Hogsmeade visit was shorter than I had expected it to be, and I still hadn’t taken Wilkinson anywhere new. We came to a stop once we were on the cobblestone street, her eyes slightly squinting under the sun as she looked over at me for a moment. 

I wasn’t worried when she didn’t answer me immediately, though. The look in her eyes told me everything I needed to know, that she had just as much of a good time as I had. I watched as she turned on her heel, her eyebrows waggling as she began to walk backwards towards the trail that would lead us to Hogwarts.

“I’m perfectly content, let’s just head back,” she smiled, increasing the distance between us as her steps never lost their rhythm. Her smile put an identical one on my face, and after tightening my grip on the handle of the bag, I jogged after her. Once I caught up, she spun back around and we walked alongside one another. 

“Fair enough,” I chuckled, the Honeydukes bag swinging by my side as we started up the trail. We had left Hogsmeade earlier than the others, so no students were returning quite yet. 

I was watching the ground, careful to not trip over any exposed roots or awry stones. 

“Oi, Olive!” I heard someone yell from ahead, and my head immediately snapped upwards. Glancing over at Wilkinson, I saw her eyes narrowed, clearly confused as to who it was. Following her gaze to the Shrieking Shack, I recognized one boy as Ivan. The famed Levski I had never met, but had certainly heard of. My grip squeezed the plastic handle of the bag, my knuckles going white as I slowed to a stop. Wilkinson halted beside me as well, though we were only feet from the dump of a house.

“Moved on from Jack to Malfoy pretty quickly, huh?” The brute retorted, his arms coming to dangle by his sides as he approached us. His friend followed him, eyeing me more so than Wilkinson. I pressed my lips together, staring back at the other Durmstrang boy. 

“So tell me, Olive. What exactly did Malfoy tell you?” Levski’s eyes shifted towards me, but I was busy narrowing my eyes at his friend. 

“I already told you, you brainless troll,” I chuckled at her insult, one that she had called me months ago. “Nothin-” 

My smile was quickly wiped from my face as I watched Ivan grab the collar of her robes and slam her into the wall of the shack. She yelped, the sound slicing straight down my heart and tearing it into two. His movement was too natural, too instinctive for him not to have it before. I remembered Wilkinson had asked about him, and I had been too stupid to realize that this is exactly what he had done.

Now inflamed, I started at the two of them before I could even think straight. Either I was too slow, or Levski’s friend was too fast, but I got yanked backwards before I could take another step. I scowled, and the Honeydukes bag slipped to the ground as I tried to shake my shoulder from him.

“Nothing, you say?” Levski growled, leaning into Wilkinson’s face. She flinched away, but the only place for her to go was further into the wood. “Karkaroff has worked too hard to keep the Durmstrang in this tournament, we can’t let anything ruin it now.”

I nearly laughed at his statement. When the golden-boy Potter was part of something, any others were bound to lose. I overheard Wilkinson scoff as well, which only angered Ivan more. 

“Think it’s funny?” he snapped, and Wilkinson nodded her head, the smallest smile playing on her lips. When she nodded, though, Levski only pushed her harder against the shack.

“Levski, get your hands off her,” I muttered lowly, trying once more to twist myself out of his friend’s grip. The foul cockroach of a man didn’t let up though, pulling me backwards once more. I hated feeling powerless, especially under Levski. Wilkinson needed my help, and I absolutely despised not being able to give it to her. “I swear-”

“You swear what, Malfoy?” Levski laughed, interrupting my threat, albeit an empty one. “That your father will step in? That’s all you pathetic Malfoys are good for, passing the effort onto someone else. What a worthless excuse for a family.” He scoffed, pressing his forearm harder against Wilkinson’s neck.

Before I started my first year at Hogwarts, my father had desperately wanted me to attend Durmstrang. His request was denied by my mother, who wanted me to start at Hogwarts, a school closer to home. My father had given in reluctantly and without reason, though I think his witnessing of Simmons’ trial had given him the reason he never knew existed. Imagining his son under the cruciatus curse was enough for him to, years later, agree with his wife’s decision.

My fists clenched at Levski’s mention of my family and I spat back an insult, which only made his smirk grow bigger. I could see Wilkinson begin to choke, her hands thrashing about as she gasped for a proper amount of air. But Levski was distracted by my insult, and hadn’t realized he was slowly cutting off her windpipe. 

She collapsed moments later, the muscles in her legs finally giving out. The moment she stopped resisting him, Ivan turned in confusion. Wilkinson crumpled to the ground when he took a step back, his eyes widening in a horror I thought he’d never be capable of having. 

“Did you kill her?” Levski’s friend asked from behind me, incredibly stupid sounding. I felt his grip release the slightest amount due to the distraction, and I took advantage of it. Jabbing my elbow backwards, I got lucky and hit him right under the ribcage, knocking the wind out of him for a moment. Stumbling away, I nearly tripped over my own two feet as I desperately searched my pockets for my wand. Levski turned at the movement, his eyes immediately snapping to me. 

I already had my wand pointed at his throat, my mouth set in a firm line as I glared at him. “You fucking dick.”

Levski only smirked though, his hand reaching for his wand as well. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his friend stand up straight. “Petrificus!” I yelled, flicking my arm to the right. The spell hit him directly in the chest, sending him flying backwards before he landed on the grass. Levski watched his friend, his jaw clenching in anger.

“Oh, so you wanna do it this way?” he mocked, his laugh mean and bitter. I inhaled a shaky breath, my fingers tightening around my wand as I prepared myself for his next move. He threw a lazy stupefy at me, which I easily blocked without a second thought. Now feeling confident, a smirk landed on my lips. But I knew he wouldn’t play fair, given his reputation at Durmstrang. 

“Expelliarmus!” I called, though my stream of light was redirected and died the moment it hit the ground. Taking a quick glance at Olive, I saw her body still on the ground, mere centimeters from the Shrieking Shack’s wall. Her knee had caught on a broken slab of wood when she fell, the denim of her jeans torn open.

Levski shook his head, taking a few steps towards me before yelling another spell. “Cruc-”

I’m not sure where the burst of adrenaline came from, but I immediately countered Levski’s unforgivable with the disarming spell once more before Ivan could complete his. His wand flew out of his hand, landing a few meters away. He quickly recovered his wand though, yelling “accio” a couple seconds later.

I gulped nervously, not expecting him to recuperate that fast. Behind him though, Wilkinson had shuddered, her legs brushing against one another as she slowly lifted her head. Levski’s head spun at the sound, though he never turned his back to me. 

“Stupefy!” he yelled, flicking his arm backwards. My mouth parted in shock as I watched the spell hit her, knocking her unconscious yet again. Her head hit the rock beside the door of the shack, the cracking sound traveling all the way to me. From what I had remembered from Moody’s class, someone could only successfully perform an unforgivable if they truly meant it, if they had serious intent behind it. And, Merlin, did I.

“Cruc-” I started, but my voice broke and the spell failed. Although I still had the tip of my wand pointed at his chest, Levski arched an eyebrow, that disgusting smirk on his lips. He was taunting me at my attempted use of the unforgivable. A moment later, his eyes darted behind me, the smirk faltering. 

“I didn’t come here only to be expelled again,” Simmons’ voice came from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing him climb the hillside and coming to a stop near me. “Especially not because of you.” 

Simmons was practically seething as he glared at Levski. His chest heaved as his eyes glanced to Wilkinson, and then returned to Levski. Simmons’ arm snapped away from his side, flicking his wand from right to left as he muttered a spell. The rock that Wilkinson had hit her head on lifted from beside her, hovering in the air for a moment before it flew along the ground quickly and into Levski’s knee. He tumbled to the ground, losing his balance. 

My petrifying spell must’ve worn off on Levski’s friend, as I hadn’t seen him coming up behind me. With an arc of his fist, it collided with my face, hitting me square in my left eye. I stumbled back, caught more off guard than I’d like to be. Simmons started for Levski, leaving me behind. I didn’t mind though, this was the dick that had kept me from helping Wilkinson. 

Though my eye was already swelling shut, I hurled another petrificus at his chest. He hadn’t readied his wand yet, so he got knocked on his ass once more. 

“What the bloody hell?” Katie’s voice rang through the air, and I turned, seeing her and Blaise running up the trail. Biting my lip, I swiveled my head the other direction. Simmons and Levski were in a fist-fight, any remembrance of their wands completely forgotten. Scrambling up the hillside, I dropped down on my knees next to Wilkinson. Her eyes were closed, but her chest was rising in extremely shallow breaths. 

“Jack!” Katie screamed, causing both him and Levski to break away from each other for a moment. The power that girl had. 

Blaise ran to my side, not even asking for explanation as he helped me pick Wilkinson up. I was exhausted, the unexpected duel taking more out of me than I thought it would. Inhaling a shaky breath, I made sure Blaise had a tight grip on her before he carefully walked back down the hill. 

“You three are complete idiots,” Katie snapped at me as she passed, jogging to catch up with Blaise. Wilkinson was turned towards his chest, one arm dangling by his side. I didn’t care about Simmons or Levski, I just wanted to make sure she was okay. 

And so, after I briskly picked up the Honeydukes bag, I ran to catch up with her without a single glance over my shoulder.

OLIVE’S POINT-OF-VIEW

Malfoy and I stared at each other for a few silent moments after he stopped talking. His eyes searched mine, the normally icy blue softening a bit. 

“I think you need a piece of chocolate,” I muttered, hoping to relieve the quietness between us. It wasn’t awkward, I just wasn’t sure what to say. I reached for the cellophane bag, sifting through for a particularly good chunk.

“None of that rubbish,” he tried as he shook his head, but I already had shoved a nougat chunk into his palm. A small smile settled on his face as he tentatively brought it to his lips, averting his gaze as he bit into it. I watched his features, trying to pick up on the tells he swore he didn’t have.

He chewed slowly, his pale fingers twirling the rest of the candy as he rested his elbow on the bed. Glancing over to me, he shrugged. “Not complete rubbish.” He corrected his earlier statement, causing a chuckle to escape my lips. My lungs still burned a bit, but I pushed the feeling aside. 

“I told you,” I scoffed, pretending to be offended. Malfoy rolled his eyes, but he took another bite as if to confirm his new opinion. He mumbled back a “whatever” through a nougat-filled mouth, earning himself a gentle slap on the hand from me. 

Pushing the rest of the chocolate into his mouth, he lowered his arm so they laid on top of one another. His eye looked extremely painful, the bruise starting to spread further below his cheekbone. I couldn’t believe Ivan would do such a thing, to cast the cruciatus curse at him.

With a tremble I couldn’t stop, my hand raised off the bed and came to rest on his cheek. He flinched just barely, his bad eye squeezing shut at my touch. I ignored it though, allowing my thumb to just barely brush over the discoloration. He relaxed a moment later, opening his eye and looking deep into mine. We were quiet, the only sounds coming from our shallow breathing and that goddamn Gryffindor.

“Olive, dear? Do you need any more-” Pomfrey asked, pulling the curtain back. Her gaze fell on Malfoy before it did me, her eyes wide as she realized she had interrupted. Malfoy let his head fall from my hand, resting his forehead on the side of the bed as he let out of a huff. Pomfrey didn’t say anything else, simply turning on her heel and tugging the curtain back along the rod. 

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it, finding the situation amusing. Malfoy’s shoulders racked in a chuckle as well, his forehead still pressed into the bed. He raised his head a moment later, a playful glint in his eye as he looked at me.

“Get some rest,” he said, standing up as his eyes swept down the bed. I nodded, settling back into the pillow as I watched him slip past the curtain. 

\---

Pomfrey released me at dinnertime, insisting that I eat something before I slept. I thanked her, and pocketed an additional bottle of the potion she had given me before I walked towards the Great Hall. The others were already sitting at the table when I entered, Malfoy’s back towards the entrance. 

“Olive!” Katie exclaimed when she saw me approaching, a wide smile on her face. “Oh, good. Pomfrey let you go.” Malfoy turned at her voice, his eyes following me as I came to slip in beside him. Pansy was further down the table with Liam, and Crabbe and Goyle were on Malfoy’s other side. And Jack was nowhere to be seen.

“I’m starving,” I responded simply, putting a small smile on Blaise’s face as I sat. The two of them continued their previous conversation, something about the second task that was happening next weekend. I half-heartedly listened, filling my plate with more food than normal.

After I finished, I placed my right hand on my thigh, beginning to mix around the bowl of soup with my left. Malfoy’s eye looked slightly less dark then it had hours ago, so I assumed he must’ve taken something to assist the healing process. The bruise still contrasted his pale skin intensely, and his left eye was still closed a bit more than his right.

“How’s your eye?” I asked him, blowing across a spoonful of soup. He shrugged, resting his fork back down on his plate. 

“Feeling better,” he responded, though he looked like he wanted to ask something more. Raising an eyebrow at him, he sighed. “Do you have those chocolates on you? I’m tired of these carrots.”

Chuckling, I nodded and abandoned my spoon in my bowl before I sifted through my pockets. Just like Blaise, Malfoy had a secret sweet tooth. I swear, I don’t think I ever saw him leaving dinner without a bite of dessert. Retrieving the bag, I placed it on the table between us, his hands immediately going to untie the string that held it closed. “Told you they’re good,” I teased him like I had earlier, but he ignored my with a wave of his hand. 

Seconds later, he had pulled out two chunks, setting one on my plate before he began to eat his. He glanced around the table quickly before his free hand skimmed across the bench, placing it over my hand that was resting on my thigh. My heart jumped at the gesture, feeling like it had gone skydiving when he interlocked his fingers with mine.

“I reckon we should stay away from Levski,” he muttered lowly, and I chuckled, nodding my head.

\---

The next week of classes went by quickly, as we didn’t have any quizzes or exams. Malfoy and I had both ended up acing the Potions quiz, Snape giving the house five points for each of us as we had the highest marks in the class. 

Jack had stayed distant from everyone for the entire week, eating alone at meals and skipping class after class. He had even missed two quidditch practices, which greatly annoyed Malfoy.

Malfoy and I had studied together in that tucked away corner of the library for a couple nights, those that were free of practice. We didn’t get much work done though, most of the time was spent with me relearning how to make the swan, or simply just talking until the candles went out.

The morning of the second task was a cold one, the latter half of February’s weather hadn’t given into spring just yet. Since I hadn’t attended the first task, Pansy and Katie practically dragged me out of bed, into the common room and down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise were already sitting when we arrived, but there was no sign of Malfoy or Jack. 

As I was nibbling on a chocolate chip muffin, Pansy was gushing to me about Liam. From what she made him out to be, he was a lovely fellow, and much nicer than Malfoy or Pucey had been to her. Honestly, I was glad she had moved on, so I gave her a few squeals of excitement and wide eyes when she told me more about Liam. It might’ve been just to please her, but I didn’t care.

She was in the middle of talking about her summer plans with him when Malfoy dropped down beside me, his gloves tossed onto the table. Dumbledore had warned all spectators to dress warmly, the draft on the lake would feel colder than it actually was. I had dressed accordingly as well, a Slytherin scarf draped over my shoulders and mittens shoved deep into my pockets. 

Thankfully, Liam walked past and asked Pansy to walk with him to the task. She left happily, shooting me a wide smile before she turned.

“The tournament is so stupid,” Malfoy huffed, clearly irritated for being woken up so early on a Saturday morning. He angrily grabbed a cinnamon roll, hacking it in half with his knife. 

“It might be fun,” I shrugged, giving Dumbledore’s explanation of the task the benefit of the doubt. It was supposed to take place on the Black Lake, though no one knew what to expect.

Thirty minutes later, we were standing in the brutal wind, my scarf shoved up past my ears. Any spectators were staring at the still lake, the champions having already dived in ten minutes ago.

“This is not fun,” I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest. 

I appreciated Dumbledore warning us about the weather, but I wished he would’ve warned us about the completely mind-numbing and boring task we were all watching.

Malfoy snickered from beside me, his gloved hands wrapping around the railing. The Weasley twins were standing to our left, Ginny in between me and them. During the walk to the lake, I had caught her red hair and ran up to her before I could tell Malfoy what I was doing. Reluctantly, and surprisingly, he had decided to stand with us, towing Crabbe and Goyle with him. I wasn’t sure where Katie and Blaise were, and same went for Pansy and Liam.

“Ron’s down there, he was chosen for Harry’s hostage,” Ginny said nervously, her hands wringing around the metal railing. Her eyes were constantly sweeping the lake, keeping an eye out for her brother. 

“I’m sure Harry’ll get him-” I started, but was interrupted by the crowd erupting into cheering and clapping. Diggory was the first champion to resurface, Cho popping up from the lake alongside him a second later. At the sudden excitement, a first-year had wiggled his way between Malfoy and I, desperate to see what happened. 

Malfoy reacted before I could, scowling at the young boy. The first-year looked up timidly, but he was met with Malfoy shoving his hat past his eyes and pushing him backwards. Malfoy quickly closed the space between us, our arms brushing up against one another as we leaned over the railing. 

I wasn’t sure who Ivan’s hostage was, I hadn’t cared enough to even glance in his direction before the task started. Karkaroff and a group of Durmstrang boys were huddled together on the floating dock, their eyes sweeping around the stands full of students and then back to the water. Their fur hats, black heavy robes and stern composures made them contrast sharply against the Beauxbatons students, who were all comforting Fleur as they watched the lake.

A shark’s head erupted from the surface moments later, causing both Ginny and I to gasp. It quickly morphed into Ivan though, his hostage floating to the surface beside him. The second his mouth hit free air, Jack sucked in a gigantic breath, looking around frantically. Ivan wrapped his hand around Jack’s upper arm, tugging him towards the celebrating group of Durmstrang boys. Karkaroff grinned proudly, watching as Ivan and Jack got pulled onto the dock. 

Jack snatched the towel out of Karkaroff’s hands and immediately pushed his way through the Durmstrang group. I watched as he stalked towards the covered part of the stands, passing by Dumbledore and Crouch. Ivan watched him leave as well, the slightest snarl on his lips. By the time I looked back to Jack, he was already out of my line of sight, having disappeared further into the stands.

The Durmstrang group stayed put on the dock, though, the boys all yelling and clapping to congratulate Ivan for coming in second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There might/might not be a chapter tomorrow! I’ve gotta do homework the rest of the day and I have a run planned later with a friend, so I’m not sure if I’ll get my normal time to write. 
> 
> EDIT: lol idek if there'll be a chapter tomorrow becAUSE I HAVE THE WORST WRITER'S BLOCK EVER AND I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING TO HAPPEN AT ALL FUCK
> 
> I saw a comment yesterday (by @mylovelystyless over on Wattpad) and it also made me start wondering about something lol but who do you all picture the OC’s as? Basically just Jack/Katie/Olive? On my end, I try my hardest to never mention anything about Olive’s hair color/eye color/skin color/anything basically so you guys can (hopefully) read her as yourself??? I think I indirectly referred to her height once but like we can all pretend Draco is taller than all of us lol. I just cannot write in Y/N and Y/L/N kinda language so I had to slap a name on Olive before I started this lol
> 
> also I wrote a scene that I'm planning to include way far in the future (like 7th year) and I may or may not have cried writing it :'(


	38. not a chapter + writer's block pls help

hi guys!! I've been trying to write a chapter since last night and my head is empty no thoughts at all

I don't think I'll have anything (if I do, it'll most likely be way shorter than usual) for tomorrow too

but PLEASE give me any ideas/scenes/whatever that you all wanna see, it might help jog something in my head :'(

thank you all for reading and supporting this, you have no idea how much it means to me


	39. chapter thirty-six

March passed before I knew it, and April quickly followed. Hogwarts morphed from a bland, cold winter to a lively, colorful spring in a matter of weeks, though I barely noticed. The quad became busier with each passing day, students enjoying the sun whenever they could. May welcomed us with warmer temperatures and longer days, though the looming threat of final exams was enough to put a damper on even the sunniest days.

Malfoy and I continued to meet in the library a few times a week, but we stayed in that back corner each time. It didn’t bother me, but it was troublesome, having to constantly feed Katie and Pansy white lies about my whereabouts. Though, in a few weeks after the second task, the need to do so diminished. 

Pansy and Liam had officially started dating, the two of them never apart for longer than necessary. Practically abandoning Katie and I, Pansy spent all her late nights with him, the two running off before dinners came to an end.

Katie and Blaise had continued to get more serious as well, spending every free moment they had with one another. Once, she had gushed about spending part of her summer with him, to which I had plastered the most convincing smile I could on my face. All her time was spent studying with him, or taking walks together around the grounds when the weather was just too nice to not.

Malfoy was splitting his time fairly evenly between quidditch and academics, preparing the team for the house cup. The outcome of each match was pushing us closer to a spot in the final one, but Gryffindor was rivaling us the entire way.

Jack continued to skip classes, teetering dangerously on the edge of failing all of them. The night of the Yule Ball had changed something in him. He was distant and reserved, even leaving a week early for Easter break. He had never tried to convince me that Malfoy’s words were false, like he was owning up to what he had done. But he also never tried to convince me that he was who I had met our first night at Hogwarts, knowing that I knew he couldn’t fake that persona for that long. That boy was Jack, the true Jack he had always been. But he had gotten smothered yet again.

And I felt incredibly lonely. Even in my newfound friendship with Malfoy, there were holes in my heart that he couldn’t fill, not yet. Each day was a whirlwind around me, but I was trapped in my head while everyone else ate, studied, slept, whatever around me. There had been a few times where Katie had to tug me out of my seat since I hadn’t realized class had been dismissed, or that dinner had come to an end. Lots of nights were spent staring at the wall opposite my bed, though I don’t think I could’ve slept through Pansy’s snoring anyways. 

I wanted my parents more than I ever had. I wanted someone to tell me that everything was going to be alright. I was no better than Jack, hiding secrets from the others. 

There are so many different kinds of lonely. There’s the kind of lonely where you simply just cry. There’s the kind that keeps you up night after night, staring at the ceiling as you pray for sleep to come. And then there’s the kind that’s just dismissible enough to keep pushed down, to easily be overpowered by daily, normal things. And that’s the one I had felt since the day my parents died. 

I was just so, so tired of pretending.

I missed Jack greatly, though each passing day was numbing the pain of it bit by bit. I missed wizard’s chess, even though I would always lose. I missed his goofy competitions at dinner, and cheering on Crabbe since he always seemed to win. I missed his mischievousness in potions, something I thought I never would. And most of all, I missed the constant jokes he would crack. Maybe it wasn’t that I thought I would never miss them, it was that I never imagined a time without them. Blaise’s just weren’t as funny. 

When Jack was present in potions, he was only physically present. He would follow the instructions strictly step-by-step, no messing around when Snape wasn’t looking. Rather than holding up caterpillars to his eyebrows like he used to, he silently helped Blaise with the preparation. A smile never once danced along his lips.

Jack was so young, barely twelve years old when Ivan and his friends had manipulated him into doing the things he did. After the second task, I overheard some Ravenclaws in the library talking about the hostages. The headmasters for each school picked their champion’s hostages, someone who was close to them. It explained Jack’s behavior after he got pulled out of the lake, he hadn’t consented to being Ivan’s hostage. Even now, at fifteen and attending a different school, Jack was still being controlled by those he thought he escaped. 

“Wilkinson.”

I blinked, looking up to see Malfoy raising an eyebrow at me from across the library table. We had met to do Charms homework, but I guess I had zoned out.

“You’re daydreaming again,” he muttered, looking back down to his textbook. 

I cleared my throat, shaking my head as I picked up my quill. “Sorry,” I mumbled. 

“S’fine,” he murmured, his eyes sweeping back and forth over the text of his book. “Have you finished question five yet?”

I looked down at my sheet of parchment, which only had my name scribbled lazily on it. I hadn’t even remembered writing it. Malfoy had already nearly finished a roll, an empty one waiting beside his textbook. Sighing, I threw my quill back on the table in exasperation, falling backwards in the chair as I crossed my arms. “No.”

“This is due tomorrow,” he chuckled, but his tone was careful as he looked up at me. In the past couple weeks, he had to constantly nudge me with his foot or whisper something to catch my attention. It didn’t matter if we were in classes or the library, or even the Great Hall, my mind was constantly somewhere else. 

“I know,” my hands reached up to run through my hair a few times, before they settled on top of my head. He sat back as well, twirling his quill between his fingers as he eyed me. I held his gaze for a few moments, raising an eyebrow when he didn’t say anything.

“There’s something on your mind, isn’t there?” he asked a second later, the quill stilling in his hand. The brown feather stuck straight into the air, his eyes intently resting on my face. I rolled my eyes, averting my gaze to look out the window. A few students were on the grass, stretched out on a blanket that I couldn’t quite see the colors of. 

“Yes,” I finally admitted, flicking my eyes back to Malfoy without turning my head. A knowing smirk fell over his face as he lowered both his arms to rest his elbows on the arms of the chair. Given how far hidden we were, we didn’t feel a need to whisper like we would’ve in the main section of the library.

“Tell me,” he said, his cold blue eyes piercing into mine. I could tell he meant it, that he was opening himself up to what I had to say. The seriousness behind his irises was him holding out his hand, willing to pull me out of the water that I had been drowning in for the past couple months. And for the first time since I had stepped foot in the castle, I felt like I could tell someone everything.

“Um,” I began, but I bit my lip as I looked away from Malfoy once more. His foot reached out to nudge mine under the table, but I couldn’t bring myself to look back. 

“Olive,” he breathed out. The drop in his tone made me bring my attention back to his, his eyes searching mine. Malfoy never called me by my first name, ever. Really, he only referred to girls by their first names, like Katie or Pansy. But there had always been some reason he called me by my last.

I watched as he stood up, the feet of his chair skittering across the stone. My eyebrows furrowed together as he rounded the table, holding his hand out, palm-up. “Tell me,” he repeated through a murmur, his voice so quiet I could barely hear it. My gaze fell on his hand, but nothing in my conscious told me to say no.

So I placed my hand in his, letting him pull me off the chair and into the narrow hallway the table sat in. Abandoning our textbooks and parchment and any reminder of academics, Malfoy led me to the end of the hallway. His thumb brushed over my knuckles as we walked, the gesture calming the irregularity of my heart beat. There was no table, no chairs, so we sat on the ground. Our backs rested against the wall, our arms brushing against one another. Once I sat, I brought my legs up and bent my knees. Malfoy kept his stretched out, though, crossed at the ankles.

“If I tell you something, do you-” my breath hitched, my eyes frantically darting around the ground as I tried to convince myself I could tell him. That it was okay. “D-Do you promise to not tell anyone?” My voice dropped to a whisper by the end of the question, my hands clasping each other in my lap. My nails dug into the back of my right hand, reminding myself that there was something to feel, something to keep me out of my head. Small crescents appeared on my skin, but I didn’t feel it like I wanted to. 

Malfoy raised his left hand off his lap, his pale fingers wrapping around the curve between my thumb and forefinger. I let my left hand fall away, Malfoy turning my right palm up. My fingers splayed outwards, allowing his to easily slip between, interlocking our hands. We had never held hands like this, palm to palm. His fingers curled around to meet the back of my hand before mine followed. His hand was ice cold, like it always was, but my nerve endings felt something. They felt the thing that I had been searching for for weeks. 

A shock traveled up my arm, eventually dissipating in my chest. Malfoy let his thumb sweep over the outside of mine, telling me silently that he was there.

“Of course,” he whispered, letting his head fall from the wall so he could look at me. Swallowing thickly, I nodded as I inhaled a deep breath.

“Before I started at Hogwarts, during the summer before last year, my parents were killed.”

I decided to just come out with it, to not sugarcoat it or dance around it. And it felt better than I ever could’ve imagined, my shoulders now free of the burden I had carried for so long.

Malfoy stiffened beside me, but his hand never squeezed mine. He held it gently, his thumb still swiping back and forth. 

“What?” he breathed out, his eyebrows knitted together. It wasn’t in confusion though, rather in surprise, maybe. 

I nodded, my eyes tracing over a crack in the floor. “I came back from Diagon Alley with my aunt and found their bodies.”

Malfoy inhaled a sharp breath beside me, and I could practically hear his brain turning at a billion kilometers an hour. I stayed still, not knowing what to say. This was all I had prepared myself for. 

“Your aunt...the boggart...that’s why your parents don’t write,” he suddenly realized, his words becoming increasingly frantic as everything came crashing down on him. “Oh, Olive.”

I let my eyes fall shut as I rested my cheek on his shoulder, a tear rolling down my left cheek. He stiffened like he usually did at something foreign, a defense mechanism I had noticed he had. But he wasn’t uncomfortable enough to shake me off, so I figured it was okay. It was a few seconds before he tentatively released my hand, and raised his arm over me to settle across my shoulders. We stayed like that for a few quiet moments, his hand trailing up the side of my neck and cradling the back of my head as he held me to him. 

“You’ve kept this a secret for this long?” he whispered, turning his head so the lower half of his face was buried in my hair. His hand dropped back from my head, pulling a few strands of hair behind my ear. Not trusting myself to speak, I nodded, my cheek brushing up and down against his robes.

“I never got to say goodbye,” I murmured, my voice cracking at the end. Inhaling shakily, I turned my face further into his shoulder, hiding my face. His raised his hand from my shoulder, clutching the back of my head like he had before. I felt his chin rest on top of my head, the warmth from his chest radiating through my sweater. For a boy who constantly had freezing hands, the rest of him was quite warm.

“Do you know who did it?” he asked quietly, starting to twist the ends of my hair around his fingers. I shook my head, drawing my knees further into my chest. 

“I can’t imagine-” he started, casting me any sympathy he could. Malfoy never struck me as an overly sympathetic person, but I was grateful for the small empathies he offered instead. I had heard the same response from the officials at the ministry, those who comforted my aunt and I.

“I don’t want you to,” I interrupted honestly, shaking my head as I withdrew my face from his shoulder. Resting my cheek on his shoulder like I had before, I looked down at his other hand, which was resting against his other thigh. His fingers were slightly bent, the metal of his rings glinting under the dim light. 

It was true, what I said. I never wanted him to imagine his parents’ dead bodies, I never wanted anyone to. When I had seen his mother on the platform, and from the stories he had told me, I knew that the two had a close bond. And I never, ever, wanted to come between that, either physically or in his mind. 

Malfoy and I didn’t say much after that, but each other’s presence was enough. His hand brushed over wherever he could reach. Resting on my shoulder, rubbing my upper arm, his fingers twirling the ends of my hair. 

He never apologized, but part of me had already expected he couldn’t bring himself to. But his actions were enough for me, it was the small things that told me how he felt. 

We sat in the hallway long after our asses went numb, the moon eventually peeking her face through the window. His shoulder became increasingly comfortable, and his hand finally came to a rest on my shoulder as his thumb swept back and forth occasionally. There were a couple times where I thought Malfoy had fallen asleep, but everytime I checked, he met my gaze with a smile and twinkling eyes. 

I was holding his other hand inbetween mine, twisting his rings around his fingers when he finally spoke. They were pretty, and although they were all silver, he had an array of designs. Some fingers held two stacked on top of one another, but his thumbs were always bare. It hadn’t been that long, but his voice was hoarse and raspy. 

“But, seriously, the Charms homework is due tomorrow.”

Chuckling, I let his hand fall back into his lap as I sat up, my head lifting off his shoulder. He stood first, pulling me up with him moments later. 

The rest of the night was spent finishing Charms, the amount of ink on my parchment soon matching his. 

\---

Ever since I had opened up to Malfoy, my chest felt lighter and my lungs felt like they could take in oxygen easier. I didn’t care if the others didn’t know, it was just one more thing kept between Malfoy and I. Since that night, I had started to look at Malfoy in a different light. A small part of me had expected his typical behavior to flip on, that he might’ve laughed out of sheer awkwardness, not knowing what to do other than to treat me like the others. But he hadn’t, he had held me close until the awkwardness between us had washed away, not caring how long it would take. I was still daydreaming in class, but it was more so visions of him.

“Oh, Professor Snape! I thought we agreed to have the snivelfigs ready next week, but I can take a look around if you need them now-” Professor Sprout abandoned her lecture, suddenly noticing Snape standing in the doorway of the greenhouse. Like many others, I glanced over my shoulder, but Snape’s gaze was pinned on Sprout. Malfoy looked as well, his fingers drumming on the table as he looked back to Sprout.

“Next week is fine, Pomona,” Snape dismissed her offer, his eyes falling on mine. I turned, facing forward like I had been a minute earlier. “If I could borrow Wilkinson and Malfoy?”

Sprout nodded hurriedly, telling us to take our things since the class was nearly over. A few Gryffindors snickered under their breath at Snape’s request, but they immediately quieted once Malfoy shot them a glare. I followed him down the aisleway between the rows of tables, draping my robes over my arm. The greenhouse was even more insufferably hot during the spring. 

“You two, follow me,” Snape muttered the instant the door swung shut. I glanced over at Malfoy, but he was staring at Snape’s back as he led us up a staircase. Five minutes later, we were standing outside Dumbledore’s office, Jack leaning up against the wall as we approached. His hands were shoved deep in the pockets of his trousers, his head hung as he stared at the ground.

“Why is it always you three,” Snape mumbled as he knocked on the door, but his tone was void of any suggestion of a question. Jack pushed himself off the wall, coming to stand behind Malfoy and I as we waited. Shifting my weight from one foot to the other, I caught Malfoy’s attention, who looked at me from the corner of his eye. 

Dumbledore opened the door not more than a second later, ushering the four of us inside. The two chairs across his desk were already occupied, and my heart dropped when I recognized the back of Ivan’s head. Even in the late-spring heat, a fur hat adorned the top of Karkaroff’s head as he was glancing around Dumbledore’s office. Crouch was standing in the other corner, and a few other important-looking officials from the ministry stood alongside him. The sound of the door latching brought me back to reality, and I shuffled to the side of the office, standing next to Malfoy. My hands were beginning to sweat, so I tried to wipe them on my robes unnoticed. Snape came to a halt on my left, Jack on the other side of him.

“The events following the Valentine’s Day Hogsmeade visit have been brought to my attention, although much later than I would’ve liked,” Dumbledore announced once he sat down, looking at Ivan over the top rim of his glasses. His gaze shifted to Jack, and then down the line from me to Malfoy.

“I would’ve done so before the second task had I known, but Mr. Levski will be disqualified from the tournament immediately-” he started, but Karkaroff shot out his chair. Ivan looked from him to Dumbledore, a look of complete shock on his face. I flinched at the sudden outburst, inhaling sharply through my nose. Not a second later, Malfoy’s left hand grabbed my wrist, immediately calming the nerves that had flared up. His hand slipped downwards, intertwining our fingers and giving a quick squeeze of reassurance before he let my hand go.

“This is ridiculous, Albus. There’s only one more task, you must let Ivan compete,” Karkaroff tried, but Crouch shook his head as he defended Dumbledore’s decision. 

“The attempted use of an unforgivable, even a failed one, on another person is grounds for a trial, Igor,” Crouch stepped forward, standing alongside Dumbledore’s chair. Malfoy straighted his spine beside me, his shoulders suddenly pushed back as he listened. “We will deal with Mr. Levski as soon as possible, but we do know he will not be competing in the final task.”

I wanted to laugh, to stick out my tongue in Karkaroff’s face. Both Ivan and Jack had made it known that Durmstrang had been preparing for the tournament for years, and to have Ivan disqualified with the third task on the horizon was better than I could’ve dreamed. I couldn’t think of someone who would’ve tipped off Dumbledore, but I couldn’t be more grateful that they did.

“Then I ask for Simmons to take his place,” Karkaroff turned on his heel, looking back at Jack. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jack’s head snap up from where he was staring at the ground, a look of utter terror on his face. I felt horrible, my heart sinking for him. “Just because Ivan got himself disqualified does not mean Durmstrang is disqualified as a whole.”

“Absolutely not,” Jack scoffed, shaking his head as he took a few steps towards the middle of the office. “I don’t even go to that hellhole of a school anymore.”

“Mr. Simmons is a Hogwarts student now, Karkaroff,” Dumbledore agreed with Jack as he reminded Karkaroff, sitting back in his chair. Jack looked at him with knitted eyebrows, his mouth slightly parted as he begged Dumbledore for a better answer, to tell Karkaroff no.

“You let Potter in, what’s one more? Besides, Simmons is the one that got Levski disqualified. It’s the least he could do, especially for a dear old friend,” Karkaroff retorted as he sat back down. My mouth nearly dropped at his statement, completely bewildered by his claims. I remembered Jack had told me that Durmstrang had placed the blame on him, making him take the fall for what happened. Ivan clenched the arms of the chair, his teeth ground together tightly as he stared straight ahead. Dumbledore didn’t say anything, his eyes sweeping over his desk as he thought. I wanted to scream, to yell at Dumbledore to decline Karkaroff’s proposition. But I bit my tongue, lowering my gaze so I could stare at the floor. Honestly, I wasn’t sure why Malfoy and I were even here. Hell, I was the one that was unconscious for the entire thing.

If Jack was the one who told Dumbledore what had happened, I couldn’t believe he was still taking the blame for Ivan’s mistakes.

“That’s bullshit!” I burst out, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them as I stepped further into the room. Immediately, I covered my mouth with my free hand, my eyes wide as I looked from Karkaroff to Dumbledore. Karkaroff’s eyes immediately snapped to mine, his bushy eyebrows settling higher on his face. The room fell into a deeper silence, those from the ministry looking around at one another. I didn’t have anything else to say, so I was partially glad when Snape grabbed the back of my robes, yanking me back against the wall.

“Simmons, you and I both know-” Karkaroff started, turning in his chair so he could look Jack square in the eye. My eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as I watched Jack finally drop his gaze to his former headmaster. He held his chin high, his mouth set in a firm line as he eyed Karkaroff. 

“I’ll do it,” he finally said, holding Karkaroff’s gaze for another second before looking to Dumbledore. Karkaroff’s face instantaneously held a sleazy smirk, his lips baring his disgusting teeth as he turned back to Dumbledore for his reaction. The empty threat had meant more than it had come off to be. Everyone in the room knew of Jack’s past, nearly half had been at his trial. So it couldn’t have been Karkaroff threatening to tell us about Jack’s time at Durmstrang. There was something more, something everyone else didn’t know.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, his eyes darting to Crouch for his opinion. My lips parted in disbelief, shocked that Dumbledore would even entertain the idea. He was seriously considering throwing three of his own students into arguably the most dangerous task of the tournament. Crouch sighed, crossing his arms over his chest as he thought. Snape stayed silent beside me, his arms brought out of his robes to cross over his chest.

“I suppose that would be a reasonable solution,” he agreed, looking down at Dumbledore for his approval. The two nodded at each other, officially declaring Jack as Durmstrang’s competitor for the last task. 

When Dumbledore released us, I stormed out of the office, absolutely furious with everything that had happened. It was halfway through lunch, but Karkaroff’s sheer insolence had ruined my appetite. I angrily stalked to the common room, never once looking behind me. I could hear Malfoy and Jack bickering with one another behind me, their long legs easily keeping up with mine. 

The second the door materialized, I threw it open, letting myself in. The common room was empty, since everyone was at lunch. Angrily, I slipped the strap of my bag off my shoulder, but it got caught in the robes I was still holding. Nearly growling in frustration, I threw the tangled mess onto the ground, not caring where it landed. 

Malfoy and Jack entered moments later, the two of them still fighting about who got to enter first. Childishly, they both tried to walk through the doorframe at the same time. Malfoy pushed Jack backwards, letting himself into the common room first.

“What did Karkaroff mean?” I snapped at a flustered Jack, spinning around aggressively on my heel. “And don’t you lie to me, Jack.” It was the first time I had spoken to Jack in months, and he looked just as shocked as I felt.

I pointed an accusing finger at him, my breathing erratic as I tried to focus my eyes on his face. Malfoy came to a stop, shedding his bag and robes on the couch as well. The three of us stood a few feet apart from one another, the tension in the common room incredibly thick.

“The bastard’s full of empty threats-” Jack started, but I took a step towards him as my hand flattened out. I don’t know what I was thinking, I never thought I would ever slap him. His hands darted to my hand, holding up his two in front of him in surrender. “But before I left Durmstrang, he told me if I ever crossed him again, he’d make me pay by doing the same to me as what I did to those first-years.”

For the seriousness that the Unforgivable was, the Cruciatus curse seemed to be getting thrown around quite carelessly recently. My hand dropped, coming to a rest by my side. Malfoy looked between us, his eyes wide. “I swear, that’s what he meant,” Jack continued, his eyes searching mine. “I don’t have a reason to lie to you, anymore, Olive. I promise you.” I could tell he was upset with himself for giving in to Durmstrang yet again, so I dropped my shoulders in a sigh.

Part of me was expecting Malfoy to scoff, to tell me Jack was only feeding me lies. But he didn’t. He stayed silent, continuing to watch us. 

“What was the reason last time, anyways?” I retorted, setting my mouth in a firm line as I raised an eyebrow. If today was going to be the day Jack and I finally talked, then I would try to pull as much out of him as I could.

“It was to protect you, Olive. It was always to protect you,” he pleaded, his tone suddenly dropping as he stepped forward. My eyebrow dropped as I averted my gaze, my eyes sweeping over the cracked floor of the common room. 

“You brought me to the Levski’s house, Jack! You practically gave them the opportunity to murder me, they had every chance to!” I sighed exasperatedly, my hands tugging at my hair as I turned away from him. I was unbelievably frustrated, and I hated being a screaming match with him.

“I already told you! I didn’t know that’s what my parents had planned, and I never left your side those entire two days! Isn’t that enough?” Jack yelled back, his voice hoarse but still echoing between the walls. If anyone was taking a nap during lunch, they were certainly awake now. “If any of them were to try anything, I would’ve killed them with my bare hands.”

“You’re being ridiculous, Jack,” I shook my head, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. As I turned, I snuck a glance at Malfoy, who was still staring at Jack. 

“I’m not!” Jack retorted, a snort forcing its way out of his nose. “What else do I have to do to make you trust me again?”

“You weren’t there the first time!” I twirled back around to glare at Jack again, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. The words left my mouth before I could stop them, and I mentally punched myself in the face.

“What first time?” his voice dropped and his eyes softened, the creases in his forehead relaxing. His head tilted, taking another step towards me. I realized that I hadn’t even told Malfoy the extent of Ivan’s first attempt, I had played it off as Ivan having a simple question. 

“Ivan pinned me against the wall outside the library a couple months ago,” I muttered, averting my gaze once more. “Seemed real desperate to find out what he said.” Nodding towards Malfoy, I could see his lips part as he realized what Ivan had done prior to the Hogsmeade visit. I hadn’t meant to bring him into this, but my mind wasn’t operating as clearly as I would’ve liked.

“Did he hurt you?” Jack breathed out, and I finally looked back to him. His face was a mix of worry and anguish, though he was clearly barely holding himself together. I shook my head, swallowing.

“No, I was able to get away,” I reassured him, shrugging as I crossed my arms.

“I swear, if I was there, Olive-” 

“You weren’t,” I cut him off without a second thought, turning away from him to face the fireplace. Jack let out a sigh, raising his hands to his hair like he always did when he was anxious or stressed. I hadn’t meant for my words to sound so drastic, they were supposed to serve as a reminder to him that he couldn’t always be there for me. Besides, he hadn’t been since January, anyways.

“Simmons, you should go,” Malfoy muttered, but I had already turned my back to the two of them. Even he could sense the conversation was going to go nowhere, Jack and I high on anger. Gnawing at my lip, I stared into the fire as Jack’s words ran through my mind. Surprisingly, Jack simply sighed, readjusting the strap of his school bag. At some point between here and Dumbledore’s office, he had unbuttoned his shirt and loosened his tie, his hair wild from running his hands through it once too many times.

“You know I would do anything to protect you, Olive,” Jack said to my back, looking past Malfoy. My head bobbed up and down in a slow nod, but I didn’t turn around. Jack left willingly a few moments later, quickly disappearing down the boy’s wing. A few seconds later, I felt Malfoy’s hand on my left shoulder before it skimmed over my back to rest on my right.

He didn’t say anything, but he let me rest my head on his shoulder as we stood in the middle of the common room, both of us looking into the fire. Our things were scattered around, my bag and robes lying haphazardly behind us, Malfoy’s robes draped over the back of the couch.

“Thank you,” I muttered, nuzzling the top of my head further into his neck. He chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest before it escaped his lips. 

His hand fell from my shoulder to rub my back in gentle circles, the gesture calming my previously erratic heartbeat. His response was a whisper, so quiet I could barely hear it over the crackling of the fire.

“Anytime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all SO SO SO SO much for your comments on my previous “chapter”!!! I have so many ideas bouncing around my head now, all I’ve gotta do is wrangle them in lololol. I was planning on deleting it once I updated, but I think I’m going to leave it up so I can look back and you guys still have a space to throw in any ideas you have.
> 
> I’ve been feeling a bit down with being annoyed about remote classes and hitting a wall with this fic, but I got my official internship return offer for next summer and I was able to declare two minors yesterday after a meeting with my advisor, and after reading all your comments I feel so much better!! And it’s almost the weekend again!! AND this fic hit 10k reads on Wattpad!! So again THANK YOU ALL so much i love each and every one of you don’t ever forget it :)


	40. chapter thirty-seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to whip ye old GOF book for this one lol

Jack’s news spread like wildfire through the Slytherin house, the rest of the school hearing about it not soon after. Students whispered to one another when he passed, though Jack kept his chin held high and his gaze pinned straight ahead. He had started to sit with us again at meals, but he never said much. 

Malfoy and I had grown more comfortable with one another since I had told him about the death of my parents. He didn’t stiffen as much when I knocked my knee against his under the desk in Potions, and he slipped his fingers between mine when the others weren’t looking. And he continued to let me sit by the window in Herbology, unknowingly letting me fill my head with thoughts of him.

We were currently listening to Snape drone about the applications of the Wit-Sharpening Potion, which was to be the last one we learned this year. The entirety of June was set aside for review, as the third task of the tournament was to be held the day after final exams came to end. 

“Some of you,” Snape’s eyes darted to two other Slytherins who were giggling in the back corner of the classroom, “Might benefit from this potion for your studies. Perhaps, starting immediately would reap the largest reward.”

With that, the classroom was filled with the sounds of stool legs skittering across the stone floor, students’ chatter floating through the air as they split from their tables. Malfoy offered to gather the ingredients, while I retrieved his cauldron from the back of the room. I took it from Goyle’s outstretched arm, smiling at him as a form of gratitude. 

Malfoy lit the flame the instant I sat down, his fingers wrapping around the lip of his cauldron before he set it on the stand. My left arm slipped underneath his, pulling the jar of ginger root towards me as he played with the gas nozzle, trying to find the proper release amount. I began to shred the root, looking up at Jack as he was focused on doing the same. Not realizing I had already reached the end of a root, my finger accidentally slid across the sharp grater, earning myself a split fingertip. 

Swearing under my breath, I yanked my hand away from the table, the grater falling backwards and clattering until it came to a stop. Malfoy looked over, his eyebrows furrowed together as he tried to gather what happened. Blaise and Jack paused their work as well, Blaise peering around the cauldrons. 

“What happened?” Malfoy muttered, his eyes darting between the pile of shredded ginger and my fingertip, which I already had in my mouth. The mix of the earthy ginger and metallic blood was a bit nauseating, so I slipped my finger out when he looked over. His hand clasped around my wrist, holding my hand in front of his face as he inspected my fingertip.

Snape was at the end of the table in a matter of seconds, his fingers curling around the edge as he looked down his nose at me. Malfoy was still holding my wrist, moving it for me so Snape could have a better look. Snape’s face twisted into a scowl, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the bead of blood that was beginning to gather. Honestly, the cut didn’t hurt that bad, Malfoy was making a big show of it.

“Malfoy, take Miss Wilkinson to the infirmary. From what I recall, the wit-sharpening potion doesn’t have blood listed as an ingredient.” Snape was always one for dramatic flair, his mouth clearly enunciating each word of the potion’s name, as well as emphasizing ‘blood.’ Malfoy dropped my wrist at the request, already standing since he had been stirring the potion.

“I’m fine, professor-” I tried, but Snape shot me a hard glare and I immediately dropped it. Once Snape turned with a whirl of his robes, I rolled my eyes. Jack and Blaise returned to their potion, and I followed Malfoy out of the classroom.

“You could’ve just let me grate the ginger, you know,” he scoffed as we were climbing the dungeon staircase, nearing the top. 

“I just got distracted, that’s all,” I shrugged, frowning as I looked at my finger once more. The pain was starting to set in, but the throbbing wasn’t unbearable. I assumed Pomfrey would just wrap it in some gauze, and then send me off. Malfoy didn’t need to come, either, but Snape had practically shoved the two of us out of the room.

“By Jack?” Malfoy kept his gaze level, staring down the middle of the hallway. His tone had a bit of an edge to it, and I couldn’t tell if he was jealous or mad. Or both, possibly. Halting to a stop, my mouth dropped open as I waited for him to notice I was no longer walking alongside him. It took him a few seconds since he was hell-bent on being stubborn and avoiding my gaze, but he eventually turned around when he couldn’t see me out of the corner of his eye. 

“Are you jealous?” I asked him, not able to control the smile that was ghosting over my lips. Biting down on my bottom one, I tilted my head as I waited for an answer. 

“Of course not,” he dismissed, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. His foot tapped impatiently, waiting for me to cross the ten feet between us. 

“Whatever you say,” I smirked, picking up my pace again and breezing past him with a quick glance. In my peripheral vision, I saw his arms drop from the hold they had on one another as he jogged to catch up with me. 

“Let me grate the rest when we return,” he proposed once we were walking side-by-side again. I nodded, not having the energy to argue with him, especially not over something that trivial. My hunch had been correct, Pomfrey simply pouted in sympathy as her eyes swept over the cut.

Malfoy had a stern look on his face as he waited, leaning against the doorway. His hands were in his robe pockets, his eyes darting around the hospital wing. A small cold had been circulating throughout the Hufflepuff house, so the back quarter of the wing was filled with them. When one entered coughing uncontrollably, Malfoy scowled at him as he stood up straight and leaned away from the sick boy. 

Pomfrey redirected the Hufflepuff to an empty bed in the back, promising she would be there within a minute. My legs swung back and forth over the edge of the bed as I sat, my hand between Pomfrey’s. I caught Malfoy’s gaze a few times, his eyes squinted in worry as he tried to peer over Pomfrey’s shoulder from where he was standing. 

Not more than five minutes later, my finger had doubled in size with the amount of gauze Pomfrey had wrapped around it. Before she released me, she slipped me an additional roll, telling me not to hesitate if I wanted her to change the dressing. I thanked her before she busied herself with the Hufflepuffs again, bustling down the aisleway between the beds.

“I cannot believe those filthy Hufflepuffs are all sick,” Malfoy snapped as I approached, his eyes gazing over my shoulder. I rolled my eyes, reaching up and tugging his shoulder around so we could leave. 

“How’s your finger?” His demeanor changed the second we started down a staircase, eyeing the white wrapping of my finger. Chuckling, I reached up and poked his cheek with it. The gauze was slightly sticky, but only enough so it would stick to itself. 

“Just fine, you little worry-wart,” I teased, a grin washing over my face as he tried to wave my hand away. 

“I am not a worry-wart,” he scoffed, straightening the knot of his tie as we skipped down the steps.

“Sounds like something a worry-wart would say,” I continued, my grin becoming so contagious that it spread to his face as well. He shook his head in a weak show of defiance, but he didn’t say anything more. 

The second we returned to our table, Malfoy slid the grater and the remaining ginger to his side of the table, picking up where we left off. Jack and Blaise were nearly done, so Malfoy and I hurried to catch up. Thankfully, the procedure was fairly short, and twenty minutes later, the potion was bubbling happily inside Malfoy’s cauldron.

Sprout had come down with the cold the rest of her house had as well, so Herbology was cancelled that day. The others left Snape’s classroom for their next class, leaving Malfoy and I with a free hour and a half. He nodded his head towards the common room, and without a second glance over my shoulder, I followed him down the dungeon’s hallway. 

As always, the fire was crackling in the fireplace when we entered. Since all students were in their second class of the day, the common room was completely empty. I tossed my schoolbag on one of the couches after I entered, Malfoy a couple feet behind me. He did the same, the expensive leather of his bag making the cloth of mine look incredibly inferior. 

“Instead of buying me another quill, can you buy me a new bag next time?” I joked as I collapsed on the couch facing the fireplace, looking up as Malfoy came to a stop beside the end of it. The joke must’ve flown over his head, but a smirk laced his lips as he looked back down at me. I rested my elbow on the armrest, placing my chin on my fist as I stared back. 

Malfoy hadn’t given me a quill since the beginning of the school year, and I felt bad every time I used it. But, God, that thing made my writing ten times more legible. 

“Sure,” he simply said, rounding the corner of the couch and sitting down next to me. I turned to him, an exasperated huff leaving my nose. 

“It was a joke, Malfoy. I’m not expecting you to do that,” I assured him, my eyes slightly narrowing as I tried to see if my words were processing in his mind. His arm laid across the back of the couch behind me, his other hand resting in his lap. 

“Wasn’t a very funny joke,” Malfoy commented, his nose scrunching up as he shook his head in disappointment. I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest as I leaned back against the couch. I tried to ignore the fact that the back of my head was resting against his forearm, but I couldn’t. He had drained me dry of any response, so I kept my mouth shut as I stared at the fire. 

“Come with me to Hogsmeade this Saturday. Before the quidditch match,” he suddenly said, breaking the silence we had been sitting in for the past few moments. I nearly smirked at his lack of a question, making his request come across as something I couldn’t say no to. Not that I would’ve anyways. 

I rolled my head to the left, hoping to catch his blue eyes with mine. But he was staring at the fire like I had previously been, and I could hear his fingertips tapping against the leather of the couch behind me. “Dumbledore hasn’t approved a visit. Don’t think he will until next year because of what happened with Levski.”

“That’s what makes it all the better,” Malfoy smirked, finally glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. “No others to mess it up this time.” I don’t think he had noticed, but his choice of words had taken a completely different meaning.

Knowing I couldn’t let this slide by, I smirked as I turned my attention back to the fireplace. “Mess what up?”

“What?” he coughed, a look of confusion sweeping over his features. 

“You said, ‘mess it up,’” I repeated, the smirk on my face never wavering. “What’s ‘it’?” Malfoy shifted uncomfortably beside me, suddenly realizing his unconscious slip of words. He didn’t say anything, which only confirmed what I had been thinking. 

“Malfoy, are you asking me out?” I peeled my back from the couch, twisting my torso so I could look at him. He averted his gaze though, bending his arm that was lying along the couch so that he could run his hand over his mouth. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself from smiling, wanting Malfoy to actually ask me. Sorry, Aunt Beth.

I raised an eyebrow when Malfoy went another few quiet moments, his tongue running along the back of his teeth as he thought about what to say.

“Yes,” he finally broke, his gaze snapping to meet mine. I released the smile that had been begging to be let out, grinning at him. Only took him a couple minutes and a bit of prodding. I nodded, causing his mouth to break into a smile as well. Settling back on the couch, I let my head rest against his shoulder as I crossed my ankles on top of the table. Malfoy returned his arm to the back of the couch, the gesture warming my heart more than the fire could’ve.

“Don’t let me get knocked unconscious this time, though. Please,” I teased, causing Malfoy to lightly slap my shoulder in a playful manner. 

Thirty minutes later, I had told Malfoy all about the chaos that was my fifth birthday party. It felt foreign, talking about my parents in the past tense. In all the stories I had shared with Katie and Pansy, or even Jack and Malfoy, I had always referred to my parents in the present. I talked about them as if they were waiting for me on the platform the second I stepped off the Express. It had become routine, normal almost, over the past year and a half, and I had to catch myself several times as I was telling the story.

“So your cousin whacked you in the head with a bat when he was trying to break open a fake unicorn box filled with sweets?” Malfoy tried to reiterate, his words slow as he processed each one. Coming from his view, I had to agree that the story sounded a bit bizarre. “Muggle parties are weird.” He concluded simply, adjusting his position on the couch. Over the last half hour, our postures had become lazy, me practically laying halfway on the table since I had slouched down so far. My head was nestled between his side and his arm, which wrapped around my shoulders. 

“Oh, yeah?” I scoffed, tilting my head back so I could look up at him. “What’re wizarding parties like, then?” My tone became a bit more sarcastic than I had meant for it to, but Malfoy only laughed it off.

“I wouldn’t know, I guess. My parents host these really regal and important dinners from time to time, but that’s about it,” he shrugged, the motion causing my head to move with his shoulder. I wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easily, though. Besides, I liked hearing him talk. His voice was calming, especially when it was just the two of us. Had we been in Herbology, we would’ve been sitting on those hard stools for another fifty minutes, so I was willing to soak up anything he wanted to tell me.

“Tell me about one.”

Malfoy hummed, the sound resonating from deep inside his chest as he thought. His thumb brushed over my shoulder absentmindedly, his head slightly tilted as he gazed into the fire.

“Remember when I told you about the time I accidentally set that house-elf free?” he murmured, his voice just above a whisper. It wasn’t in secrecy, though, I don’t think. No one had entered the room since we had, so Malfoy must’ve just been slightly drunk on the fact that we were alone. He tended to get like this, his voice low and slurred, when we spent time together. I wasn’t sure if it was that he felt comfortable, or relaxed, but I didn’t mind it. Because mine did the same.

I nodded, my cheek brushing up and down against the material of his sweater. He had long abandoned his robes, which were draped over the armrest next to me. Since it was the end of a long week, he had opted for a Slytherin striped sweater, rather than the grey jumper and white button-up he usually wore. His father had gotten his quidditch number embroidered on the other side of his chest, the white threaded number contrasting the emerald green stripe.

“He was the one that my parents put in charge of serving the food, and the other elves were the ones who did all the cooking. Basically, my parents were running around all night, completely embarrassed that they had to serve the platters themselves,” Malfoy chuckled, remembering the memory. I could picture it as well, and I nuzzled my head further into his side as I chuckled. “I don’t think the guests really cared, but three-year-old me had done more than enough to tarnish my father’s reputation. I remember he sent me to bed without dinner as a punishment.”

Malfoy stopped the story there, and I didn’t want to push him for anything else he wasn’t willing to share yet. So, I reached out, taking his free hand into mine. He let it go easily, his eyes watching as I brought it between the two of mine. His rings fascinated me, some incredibly intricate while others were simple silver bands. 

He watched as my fingers skimmed over each one, my forefinger tracing the weaving pattern of a particular serpent one he had. It nearly crossed over itself on the flat surface of the ring, squeezed tightly into the small area. His chest rose and fell steadily, and I could feel his gentle breath on the back of my head.

His fingers were cold, but he kept them limp so I could peruse his rings on my own accord. I twisted a few softly, wanting to see the design underneath. One rather blocky ring held an “M” in the center, so I assumed it was his family crest. I had seen it once on a letter he received in the morning mail from his father, though he quickly shoved the envelope in his bag not a moment later.

“This is my favorite,” I murmured, my fingertip tracing over the smooth surface of one of his simple bands. It was stacked underneath his family ring, but the simplicity of it was what struck my interest. It was plain, just waiting for him to accidentally scuff it, or to have a particular design engraved on it. Either way, it was anticipating a change. And, as sappy as it sounded, so was I. Telling Malfoy about my parents was the first step, and I was anxiously awaiting what was to follow.

“Yeah?” he whispered, wrapping his arm tighter around me so he could twist the ring for himself. I was pushed further into his chest, my cheek pressing up against the sweater. His cologne filled my nose, and I let my eyes fall shut as I drank it in. I was so, so glad that he had tossed the bottle Pansy had given him. Nodding, I let out a tiny “mhm” in agreement.

Malfoy relaxed his arm, giving me the chance to as well. But I didn’t, my legs pressing up against his as I stayed put. One hand gently played with a loose thread of his sweater, the other caught between our torsos. I had never been happier that Sprout was sick.

“What. The. Shit.”

Malfoy and I jumped apart, him standing while I opted for simply swiveling on the couch. I grasped the armrest, pushing Malfoy’s robes to the side as my gaze landed on Blaise. His eyes were wide, his hands dangling by his side as he stood a few feet from the doorway. The door swung shut behind him, the sound echoing through the now quiet common room. 

I wasn’t sure what to say, so I kept my eyes on Blaise while I hoped Malfoy would speak up. Blaise didn’t have his schoolbag, so I assumed he was planning on stopping by the dormitory for something. Herbology still would’ve had another twenty minutes, so Blaise should’ve been in a class. 

“Tell anyone and I’ll kill you,” Malfoy muttered from behind me, his tone incredibly serious compared to the one he was using a minute ago. A smile washed over Blaise though, his lips baring his teeth as he grinned at the two of us.

“I won’t, I promise. But, oh, just wait ‘til Katie finds out,” he waggled his eyebrows at me as he started for the boy’s wing. A few seconds later, he had disappeared into the shadows, far out of earshot. I turned back around, staring at the fire as Malfoy collapsed beside me. He kicked his feet onto the table again, crossing his ankles. 

“I’ll kill Katie if you kill Blaise,” I said emotionlessly, never once averting my gaze from the fireplace. Malfoy snickered beside me, which was surprising. Part of me had expected him to freak, which I guess he had, in a way. But the second Blaise left, Malfoy was back to his regular self with me, the Malfoy that I liked. 

“Let’s just get through finals,” he chuckled, shaking his head. He was about to say something else, but he got interrupted by Blaise.

“I don’t see anything!” he called out as he passed through the common room, his hands covering his eyes. He had changed his shirt from the stained one I hadn’t noticed before, now wearing a clean button-up. “Fuck,” he muttered under his breath when he misjudged the doorframe, accidentally running into the stone wall adjacent to it. Malfoy had turned to watch him leave, a small scowl on his lips that stayed until the door swung shut.

\---

“Keep your eyes on your own paper, Mr. Simmons.”

Snape’s words were slow as he passed behind Jack, sending him a swift swat to the head with his rolled-up Daily Prophet. Jack winced, his hand raising to rest on the back of his head as he hunched over his final exam. Snape had decided to test our knowledge like the O.W.L.’s would, so we had been sitting in the potions classroom for the past two hours, answering the set of questions Snape had prepared. 

Sneaking a glance to my left, I saw Malfoy scribbling ferociously, his quill never leaving the parchment for longer than necessary. His mind was working faster than his hand, the brown feather jerking through the air. I was nearly done, but my brain had given out two questions ago. The past week was spent cramming for the exam with the others, long nights spent in the common room. Blaise had never mentioned anything to Katie as far as I could tell, but he had sent me a playful wink when Malfoy had grabbed my shoulder to steady himself as he was rounding the back of my chair once. 

The others couldn’t be more clueless. Jack was extremely stressed with the looming third task, Pansy was constantly gone with Liam, and Crabbe and Goyle were, well, Crabbe and Goyle.

Malfoy was the first to finish the exam, proudly sauntering to the front of the room to hand it to Snape. He was dismissed, whispering a quiet “good luck” to me as he gathered his things before he left. A few Ravenclaws returned their exams to Snape in the few minutes after Malfoy, the classroom beginning to fill with the sounds of stools being pushed in, schoolbags rustling and the opening and closing of the door.

Twenty minutes later, I had finished the last question, my eyes sweeping over the rest of my work. Blaise and Jack were still working, both bent over their table across from me. I stood, tugging the sleeves of my sweater down my arms as I approached Snape. He was grading the first-years’ exams, the stack of parchment on his left slowly growing as more and more students finished. 

Normally after my last final exam, my shoulders would be light with the stress finally gone. But the third task still weighed heavily on me, my nerves nearly matching Jack’s. Malfoy was standing in the dungeons when I left the classroom, leaning up against the stone wall across the hallway. 

“How do you feel about it?” he asked, his face slightly contorted in an unsure manner. We had spent hours studying together apart from the others, the corner in the library becoming somewhat of a second home. 

I shrugged as we began to walk to the common room together, adjusting the strap over my shoulder. “The fourth question was absolute rubbish,” I groaned, rolling my eyes. Snape had decided to ask about the first potion we learned this year, all the way back in September. It hadn’t been on the review, so Malfoy and I thought it wasn’t important enough to study.

Malfoy snickered, nodding his head in agreement. He muttered the password, pushing the door open to let me through first. I slipped under the doorframe, turning around so I could see him enter. “Hogsmeade this Sunday, still?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. Given the increasing amount of assignments and the stress that finals had placed on us, we had decided to postpone the Hogsmeade visit until after the third task. The tournament had altered Hogwarts’ normal end-of-year schedule, the Express was set to leave on Monday morning.

“Yeah,” he affirmed, a small smile on his lips as he came to a stop as well. A few sixth-years were having a last-minute study session by the fireplace, but their conversation was distant. 

“Katie wants everyone in here two hours before the third task,” I reminded him. She had been extremely adamant about supporting Jack, and was determined to give him a proper send-off in the afternoon. It wasn’t supposed to start until seven in the evening, but Rita Skeeter had been trying to get Jack for an interview ever since Ivan’s disqualification was announced. Since we couldn’t be with him during it, we wanted to lift his spirits before Skeeter inevitably crushed them moments before the task.

Malfoy nodded again, raising his hand in a small wave as we separated down the different wings. 

\---

The morning of the third task was bright and sunny, the temperatures already high the moment the sun peeked over the horizon. We had sent Jack off thirty minutes ago, more than half the Slytherin house waving and wishing him luck as he slipped through the common room door. The wretched journalist was already in the dungeons, her quill hovering over her shoulder as she immediately bombarded Jack with questions. 

Warrington and Flint had joked about taking Jack’s place, since they were the only of-age Slytherins that had entered their names at the beginning of the year. From what I could tell, they were convinced that Jack had taken Ivan’s place simply because of the fact he had attended Durmstrang. The news of Jack’s past hadn’t slipped past him, Malfoy, and I, and I wasn’t about to tell the rest of the house. Surprisingly, Pansy had kept her mouth shut since January as well. I hadn’t expected her to, but maybe she had realized the seriousness of it.

Dumbledore had arranged a large feast for dinner, one last chance for Jack to sit with us before the task began. By the time we arrived, the Great Hall was nearly filled to the brim. Those from Durmstrang sat further down the Slytherin table, and I accidentally caught Ivan’s mother’s eye. She was sneering at the group, watching us as we sat. Mr. Levski was busy talking to Karkaroff, the two of them looking weirdly jovial given Ivan’s disqualification.

“That Skeeter woman is insane,” Jack muttered under his breath as the group sat on the other end of the table. I sat beside Malfoy, Jack on my left. It had been so long since we had talked to each other at meals, much less sit next to one another. Katie immediately tackled Jack with questions about Skeeter, asking mostly about her self-writing quill. After failing the potions final, Katie had claimed that she was steering her life-path towards journalism, which was completely devoid of any strange ingredients or smells.

Malfoy placed a bread roll on my plate, a small smirk on his face as he turned to take the bowl of roasted asparagus from Crabbe. Knocking my knee against his as a form of gratitude, I grabbed the roll and began to spread butter over it as I listened to Jack’s complaining.

His parents stopped by halfway through the dinner, his mother pressing a kiss to the top of his head and rubbing his shoulders comfortingly. Mr. Simmons’ gaze fell on me, and as much as I wanted to crawl under the table, I plastered the largest smile I could muster on my face, though I’m sure it looked measly. I had never asked Jack if he told his parents what happened, or that I knew about his time at Durmstrang, so I decided to play it safe.

“How were exams, Olive?” his father asked politely, his eyes sweeping around the rest of the group. Malfoy had turned as well, Mr. Simmons’ smile faltering slightly as he took in Malfoy’s blonde hair. 

“About as good as I expected,” I joked lightly, a small laugh leaving Mr. Simmons’ mouth. His shoulders shook with the sound, the lines around his eyes crinkling together. Jack was still muttering with his mother, her hand continuously petting over his hair as she listened. 

“I’m sure we’ll see you all later,” Mrs. Simmons told us as she and her husband left, walking further down the table to find an empty spot. With one last nod, I turned around again, facing the middle of the table. At some point, Malfoy had scooted closer to me, our legs resting against one another under the table. Talking with Mr. Simmons had raised my heartbeat a bit, and mixed with the nerves I had for Jack, my skin was tingling with anxiety. 

Not more than ten minutes later, Dumbledore’s voice rang through the Great Hall, indicating the feast was coming to an end. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes’ time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now.”

Jack stood from beside me, his hands clasping together as his eyebrows furrowed together in worry. I swiveled my head, seeing his tongue dart out to wet his lips as he inhaled a shaky breath. The poor boy was a complete mess, and I’m sure Skeeter’s questioning didn’t help at all. He was congratulated his entire way down the aisleway, though, random hands reaching out to clap his back as he passed.

Five minutes later, each house was filtering out of the Great Hall, the crowd of students, parents, and professors making their way to the quidditch field. It had been completely transformed, a woven mess of a twenty-foot-high hedge having taken its place. The stands circled around the entrance of the maze, Flitwick already having gathered the Hogwarts orchestra. They were playing a couple upbeat songs as the stands slowly filled, each person finding their spot. 

The Levskis were sitting with Snape in the first row of seats, closest to the ground. Ivan sat between his parents, his eyes never once leaving mine once he spotted me. Malfoy was behind me, and he had noticed Ivan’s staring as well. With a gentle tug of my arm, Malfoy pulled me further up the stands, the two of us eventually disappearing into the crowd. I missed it, but Malfoy quickly looked over his shoulder, sending a firm glare towards Ivan.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin!” Bagman’s voice rang through the air, causing the conversations to die down as everyone turned their attention to the entrance of the maze. “Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each - Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!”

The Gryffindor and Hufflepuffs stands immediately erupted into shouting, cheering, clapping, hollering, whatever noise they could make. I swore, the wooden supports of the stands creaked and I was certain they had woken whatever slept in the Forbidden Forest.

“Now, in lieu of Mr. Ivan Levski competing for Durmstrang due to his disqualification, Mr. Jack Simmons, also from Hogwarts, will be competing! We have decided to keep Mr. Levski’s previous point balance at eighty, so Mr. Simmons will be entering the maze following Mr. Diggory and Mr. Potter,” Bagman continued, and the entire Slytherin stands jumped up in excitement. Malfoy and I stood slowly, my eyes scouring the entrance of the maze. 

“And in third place - Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!” With his final introduction, Fleur bowed her head politely at the applause. 

At Bagman’s whistle, both Diggory and Potter took off into the maze, immediately disappearing into the dark shadows cast by the tall hedges. I squinted, one hand unconsciously resting on Malfoy’s thigh as I leaned forward, trying to see Jack. The stands weren’t extremely close, and given our seating choice, those by the entrance looked tiny. Bagman blew his whistle a second time, allowing Jack to follow them inside. A minute later, Fleur was released and all the champions were now enveloped by the foliage. 

Like the second task, the spectator’s view was horrendous. The hedges were so high and dense that we couldn’t see far into the maze. Flitwick continued to conduct the band, giving us some sort of entertainment. While we waited for one of the champions to emerge, the Slytherin group began to talk, Blaise passing around a bag of chocolates he had kept since the last Hogsmeade trip.

Malfoy took a couple before he passed it onto Crabbe, placing one in the palm of my hand. Blaise noticed, his eyebrow raised in a suggestive manner when I caught his eye. 

It seemed like an hour had passed when the crowd suddenly stood, a loud, collective gasp sweeping through the stands. At the noise, my head shot up and my mind immediately filled with worry. When Jack had entered the maze, my anxiety had strangely subsided, like I had realized that I couldn’t do anything more. 

A group of seventh-year Slytherins were standing in front of us, their height towering over my shorter stature. It blocked my view, and my neck craned to see around their heads. But I couldn’t, the sheer amount of people now standing completely obstructing my line of sight. A jumble of muttering fell across the stands, everyone else confused as well.

“Malfoy, what happened?” I tugged at Malfoy’s sleeve, looking upwards at him. His head was moving back and forth as well, his chin raised high as he tried to see over the sixth-years. He didn’t answer, his eyebrows furrowed tightly together. When his eyes widened, I realized he saw something I couldn’t. “Malfoy!” 

“Dead!” Potter’s voice rang over the crowd, and my heart stopped. “He’s dead!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo what the shit is Malfoy’s quidditch number bc I googled it for this chapter and then got like four different numbers so then I just gave up
> 
> Also i know i’m evil you don’t have to tell me also I only did one edit of this bc im tired so if there’s any mistakes pls let a girl know thank u


	41. chapter thirty-eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise this is just a one-time thing, but I felt like it was an easier way to explain what happened

JACK’S POINT-OF-VIEW

I was fuming the second I stepped out of Dumbledore’s office that day. Karkaroff tossed the idea of me replacing Ivan around like it was a joke, his sleazy smirk never once leaving his face. I had been even more surprised when Crouch and Dumbledore approved it, my heart sinking into my stomach. When Olive had burst out, it leapt back up in the hopes Dumbledore would recognize the sheer stupidness of Karkaroff’s proposition. But he hadn’t, Snape pulling Olive backwards much too soon.

Durmstrang’s mere presence at Hogwarts this year had already placed a weight on my shoulders, constantly fearing Ivan or one of his friends would tell Olive and the others about what got me expelled. They never did, though, and I could never figure out why. I figured things were going to continue as normal until Malfoy opened his mouth after the Yule Ball. Olive’s trust in me crumbled before my eyes, and although I wanted to knock Malfoy’s head into next week, I barely held myself from doing it. 

And things had been different since December. Olive could barely look at me, and the guilt was overwhelming. I could see her and Malfoy becoming closer, and there was nothing I could do about it. I understood why she did it, he gave her the security that I couldn’t. 

For the entirety of the second half of the year, my emotions only bounced between two extremes. Incapacitating anger, or nothing at all. I didn’t need my wand to finally get back at Ivan after the Hogsmeade trip. I was older now, smarter and stronger than I had been at Durmstrang. The initial hit on his cheekbone felt better than I could’ve imagined, the bruise nearly appearing before my eyes. Maybe I hadn’t grown as much as I thought over the past two years, but Ivan never stood a chance the second he hurt Olive. 

She broke my heart when she muttered those words to me in the common room. 

“You were like a brother to me, Jack.”

Her voice was so quiet, her words so fragmented that I had to make sure I heard her correctly. And I couldn’t help but consider what I would’ve been like if I had had met her first, before I met Ivan. She was my dearest friend, whether she knew it still or not. I felt the need to continue to protect her as much as I could, even if she didn’t realize it. Once, in March, she had forgotten to clean her cauldron after Potions, simply setting it back on the shelf allowing the sticky potion to set. I could tell that her mind had been elsewhere since January, especially since she never forgot to clean after herself. To save her from Snape’s wrath, I stayed behind after the class was dismissed, scrubbing the inside until it was sparkling clean. She never noticed.

I kept my distance from her, knowing she wanted nothing to do with me. She started to sit alongside Malfoy at meals, laughing with him in classes and in the hallways. And as much as it hurt to see him be the cause of her smile, I let her be because at least she was smiling.

Olive would never know what happened before the night at the Levski’s. When my parents had told me, I lost my voice from yelling at them. They had sprung the idea on me the morning we were to drive to Olive’s, which had sent me into an absolute frenzy. Angry words were thrown around, and I didn’t speak to my parents the entire car ride. A few cups of tea later, I was greeting Olive at her front door with a wide smile, ignoring the itchiness of my throat. She never once noticed that I refused to leave her side the minute we stepped out of the car.

“Jack, dear, come in second, you hear me?” my mother whispered, her hand coming to a stop on the top of my head. I blinked, looking up at her from where I was seated. “Be sure to beat the Beauxbatons girl, but let one of the other Hogwarts boys win.”

I nodded, leaning back into her. She began to stroke my hair again, like she had always done to soothe me as I grew up. I could hear my father speaking with Olive beside me, but the conversation was distant and I couldn’t catch any of their words. 

“Please be safe, my boy,” my mother continued, leaning down to press a kiss on my forehead. My eyes shut, her gesture calming the racing of my heart. I don’t think it had slowed since I replaced Ivan, the nerves constantly too overwhelming. A few moments later, her and my father had left, leaving me alone.

I spent the rest of the dinner in silence, going over the spells and charms that I had memorized in preparation. Snape was supposed to help me prepare as my head of house, but he never arranged any meetings, so I was on my own for the third task. My food was pushed around my plate, the butterflies in my stomach not setting aside any room. Crabbe nudged my back when Dumbledore called for the champions, urging me to join Potter and the others at the front of the Great Hall. 

Keeping my gaze straight ahead, I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans as I swung my legs over the bench, careful not to kick Olive. She sent me a small smile, her eyes filled with worry as she watched me leave. Ever since the meeting in Dumbledore’s office, she had finally given me the time of day, shooting me small, close-lipped smiles from time to time, or even asking me about a homework question. A few hands reached out and clapped my back as I walked down the table, but I barely felt them. As I was passing my parents, my mother caught my eye. 

“Be safe,” she mouthed, her eyebrows furrowed together as she watched me walk by. I gave her a small nod, swallowing thickly as I walked past those from Durmstrang. Ignoring the Levski’s stare, I joined Potter and Diggory, Delacour still crossing the Great Hall from the Hufflepuff table.

The four of us were ushered outside, and down the hillside to the quidditch field. My heart leaped at its transformation, the small gap in the hedge only leading to dark and mysterious shadows. Once we reached the entrance of the maze, Bagman reiterated the rules, though I had already memorized them weeks ago. It was harder than I had expected, preparing for a tournament that I had no prior experience in. I couldn’t see much at the first task, and I had absolutely no recollection of the second. And now, having to avoid both winning and coming in dead last put an extra strain on my psyche. 

The air of the quidditch field soon began to fill with excited voices and a thunder of rumbling feet as people filed into the stands. Potter and Diggory were muttering to one another, and Delacour stood off the right by herself. I had only spoken to Diggory once, after a quidditch match last year. Same went for Potter, but I had never crossed paths with Delacour. I turned, squinting against the sun as I tried to make out those in the stands. The Levskis and Snape were sat in the front row of the Slytherin stands, Karkaroff with them as well. I couldn’t find my friends or my parents, though, as their faces were lost in the crowd.

“We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze,” McGonagall told us once she approached. Hagrid and Moody stood behind her, Moody’s eye never once leaving me. Ever since he had turned me into a ferret, I had become his least favorite student. More so than Malfoy, which was saying something. “If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?”

I nodded with the others, tightening my grip on my wand once more. Those of us from Hogwarts were dressed in our house colors, clearly identifying us from one another for those in the stands. Bagman released the professors, who immediately departed in different directions around the maze.

My heart was pounding as Bagman introduced the four of us, taking special note of Ivan’s replacement. The Slytherin stands erupted in cheering once he announced my name, a small smile of relief settling over my face for a brief moment. Bagman let Potter and Diggory into the maze first, the two of them taking off at a quick jog. 

I nodded my head politely at Delacour once Bagman released me with a blow of his whistle, to which she gave a small smile back. Following Potter and Diggory, I sprinted into the shadows, immediately overtaken by the darkness.

“Lumos,” I muttered, flicking my wrist as my wand lit at the tip. The maze split off into three directions, and I slowed to a near stop. Assuming the others had taken the left and right paths, I continued straight, running further into the depths of the maze. The noise from the stands diminished into the air, now just a faint hum as I frantically looked around. 

There was nothing in my path other than the grass of the field, though creepy rustles were coming from the hedges around me. Holding my wand above my head, I picked up my pace as I hung a right corner. I could just barely hear Bagman’s whistle blow a third time, indicating Delacour had entered. The four of us were in the maze, with absolutely no idea of what to come.

I took a left turn impulsively, glancing over my shoulder to see if Delacour had caught up with me. I hadn’t seen the shrunken dragon that was chained to a metal post, and I just barely dodged a fireball it spat at me. 

“Stupefy!” I called, throwing my arm towards the dragon. My spell hit it directly in the chest, it falling to the ground a moment later. After I jumped over it, I slowed my pace, not wanting to reach the middle of the maze first. My breathing was labored from the running, my chest heaving with each inhale. 

“Point Me,” I muttered, holding my wand flat in my palm once I was far enough away from the dragon. It spun a couple times, finally landing to the left of me. I supposed I could wait near the center for one of the others, letting them take the cup before me. Picking up my pace again, I ran down the direct center of the path, keeping an eye out for any rustling leaves.

A clown on a tricycle pedaled around the corner ahead of me, its large head bobbing back and forth as its mouth morphed into a terrifying grin. Skidding to a stop, I tried to remember the spell we had learned in Lupin’s class last year, the one for a boggart. A shiver ran down my spine as it approached, the squeaking of the ungreased chains becoming louder. 

“Riddikulus!” I yelled, and the clown exploded into a wisp of smoke. With my path now clear, I sprinted forward, ducking into the turn the clown had come from. I performed another navigation spell once I came to a stop, taking note of my position relative to the cup. Since Potter and Diggory had a minute advantage, I figured they had already reached the center, or at least were closer than I was. 

I encountered one of Hagrid’s Blast-Ended Skrewts, though it was more than quadruple the normal size. Already angry, it sent a blast of fire from its end without a second thought, directed straight towards my legs. Though I threw myself to the right, the fireball skimmed my pants, burning a hole through the material. Wincing, I felt my leg go red-hot for a second, the pain somewhat subsiding a moment later. 

Taking advantage of my position, I threw an impediment curse at the belly of the skrewt, hitting it on its flesh. It stumbled to a stop, allowing me a moment to stand and limp by it. My leg was already beginning to blister, my nerves extremely angry with me.

When I rounded a corner, Potter and Diggory emerged from another path, the three of us halting to a stop. The cup sat in the middle of the maze, directly between me and them. The two of them immediately began bickering about who should take the cup, they obviously hadn’t seen me yet.

But my mother’s words swirled around in my head as I panted, slightly bent over and grasping my knees. 

“Jack, dear, come in second, you hear me? Be sure to beat the Beauxbatons girl, but let one of the other Hogwarts boys win.”

Her request had confused me, though I hadn’t realized it in the Great Hall. My family was never one to come in second, my father considered it the first one to lose. There was something she hadn’t told me, but I wasn’t sure what it was. 

I stumbled towards the middle of the maze, Potter and Diggory still childishly fighting near the cup. I don’t know what I was going to do, but I knew none of us should take it.

“Both of us,” Potter said, his voice carrying throughout the center. 

“What?” Diggory responded, a slight scoff coming from his lips.

“We’ll take it at the same time. It’s still a Hogwarts victory. We’ll tie for it.”

I shook my head as I gasped, pain shooting up my leg. I would’ve spelled it better, but I didn’t have the time or the energy. The cup was cursed, but I didn’t know how.

“No, don’t!” I yelled, causing both their heads to turn as they reached for the cup’s handles. I managed to grab ahold of Diggory’s shoulder the second I shot red sparks into the sky, hoping one of the professors would see it. But it was much too late, the cup beginning to spin us out of the maze. 

I landed on my back, the air knocked out of me for a brief moment. Potter and Diggory were staring at me, Potter’s leg slightly bent as he tried to keep his weight off it. Rolling my head back and forth, I tried to catch my breath as I looked around, desperate to see where we were. Diggory was muttering something about a portkey, asking if Potter knew that was supposed to happen.

Suddenly, Potter doubled over in pain, his wand slipping from his grasp as he buried his face in his hands. Diggory looked over at his yelp, his eyes wide as his gaze darted from Potter to his wand. I sat up, finally able to inhale a deep breath. 

“Kill the spare,” a voice from my left called out. Scrambling to my feet, I watched as a green stream of light hit Diggory in the chest, sending him high into the air until he landed on his back. Whoever it was who had killed him pointed his wand at me, and my eyes widened, staring at the tip. The eerie, high-pitched voice spoke again.

“He’s a Simmons.”

The wand lowered, and I stumbled backwards, away from the cloaked man. Potter was still on the ground, though he had raised his head from the grass as he watched the man approach. My eyes darted to Diggory, whose eyes were staring straight into the sky. I had never witnessed one unforgivable in particular, but I just had. It was so sudden, so immediate, that Diggory never could’ve seen it coming.

Potter was bound by pain, but I was bound by fear. The two of us watched as the man, who Potter seemed to recognize, bustled about with a bundle of cloth and a cauldron, muttering to himself as he went through a ritual of some sort. I gasped as the cauldron began simmering, diamond sparks sent in all different directions. Squinting, I had to shield my eyes from the bright light, which cast a shadow over Diggory’s body. 

Slowly lowering my hand as the light faded, my mouth parted as I watched the dark outline of an incredibly thin man rise from the cauldron. The shorter man immediately robed him at his request, and my heart stopped when the taller one finally turned. It was the man my parents had told me about, warned me about.

Voldemort’s attention was exclusively on Potter, it was like I didn’t exist. Hiding partially behind a headstone, I clutched my leg as I watched the Dark Lord examine the other’s arm. I could just barely make out a dark mess of ink on his inner forearm, my heart dropping when I realized it was the same one my parents bared. 

The words he was telling Potter were so incredibly distant, it was like my brain was forcing me not to listen. I quickly glanced over at Diggory again, my heart sinking at the sight. Had the shorter man understood the request wrong, it would’ve been me, lying dead on the grass. 

The swishing of cloaks and rhythmic footsteps soon filled the air. I watched as others apparated into the graveyard, entering from behind headstones, trees, anywhere they could emerge from the shadows. Frantically, my eyes searched the increasing crowd, praying my parents weren’t here. But they were, the unique design on their masks catching my eye as they approached me side by side. I had found the masks hidden away in a trunk in our house when I was younger, but I never imagined they would wear them again. His steps never faltering, my father yanked me from behind the tombstone, forcing me to walk between him and my mother. Her hand brushed mine assuringly, silently telling me to follow orders without a second thought.

We walked with the other Death Eaters, though I was limping more than anything. My leg seared in pain with every step I took, and I had to bite down on the inside of my cheek to keep from wincing. My parents tugged me along with them as they approached the Dark Lord, each of us kissing his robes individually. He watched me intently, though he didn’t say anything as I backed away submissively, just as my father had done. 

My spine stiffened when the Dark Lord cast the cruciatus curse on another Death Eater moments later, immediately clenching my jaw as I watched the man writhe on the ground in pain. My mother ever so gently grabbed my hand, giving it a tight squeeze before she hid her arm under her robes once more. My father had forced her into becoming a Death Eater years before I was born, and although I knew she would never admit it, she despised him for it.

“Lucius, my slippery friend,” the Dark Lord whispered, making my head snap up from where I was staring at the ground. I didn’t have the luxury of hiding behind a mask, so I tried to keep my expression as stone-cold as possible. “I am told that you have not renounced the old ways, though to the world you present a respectable face. You are still ready to take the lead in a spot of Muggle-torture, I believe? Yet you never tried to find me, Lucius,” Voldemort paused as he approached Malfoy’s father. “Your exploits at the Quidditch World Cup were fun, I daresay...but might not your energies have been better directed toward finding and aiding your master?”

Malfoy muttered back a half-assed response from behind the shield of his mask. The Dark Lord continued down the line of Death Eaters, passing some in silence while he stopped to talk to others. Recognizing the Levskis’ voices from further down the line, I snuck a glance and noticed Ivan was missing. I held my breath as he approached my parents and I, his gaze moving from my father on my left, to me, and then down to my mother. 

“The son has grown, hasn’t he?” he said, his eyes darting from my mother to me. Swallowing thickly, I nodded as he raised his chin. At some point since Bagman’s whistle blew, my left sleeve had ripped, exposing the skin of my forearm. I pressed my lips together as he looked down, his eyes sweeping over the blank canvas. “Such a loyal boy, bringing me Harry Potter.” He was wrong, but I didn’t dare correct him. I simply nodded, swallowing once more.

“We’ll see to your mark soon, yes?” The Dark Lord asked, his eyes darting to my father.

“Of course, master,” he gave a singular nod, and Voldemort moved on. I couldn’t think, much less hear, as my heart pounded harder than I ever remembered it beating. 

“And here we have six missing Death Eaters,” Voldemort halted in front of an empty space in the circle of Death Eaters. “Three dead in my service. One, two cowardly to return…he will pay. One, who has already left me forever. I’ve heard he’s already been killed. And one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already reentered my service.” 

The group of Death Eaters stirred at his last comment, clearly confused as to who he was talking about. Malfoy spoke again, begging to know how the Dark Lord had accomplished the task, given his, well, condition. I listened in horror as Voldemort explained, grasping my mother’s hand tighter. And I watched him duel Potter, not able to tear my eyes away. When Potter broke his spell, stumbling across the graveyard towards Diggory’s body, I saw how numerous Death Eaters immediately followed orders, throwing whatever spells they could at Potter. This was my future, as much as I didn’t want for it to be.

My father pushed me after him, and I tripped over my own feet until I caught my balance. Dodging jets of light, I limped across the graveyard. I reached Diggory’s body before Potter, but I was frozen in fear as spells just barely skimmed my head. My father had thrown me into the crossfire without a second thought, but I hoped it was because the portkey was my only way back to Hogwarts. He wouldn’t dare risk the chance of me not returning, wanting me to appear as though I was a normal champion that never once touched the cup.

It wasn’t until we swirled away with the Triwizard Cup that I fully realized what had happened. In an instant, the three of us were gone, Potter grasping tightly onto Diggory’s wrist, me clutching the other. Voldemort let out a scream of fury, the chance to kill Potter again ripped out from beneath him. It was the last noise I heard.

My stomach felt like it was twisted until we landed on the grass of the quidditch field. When I landed, my burned leg had gotten trapped underneath me and I let out a yelp of pain, one that I had been begging to escape since I entered the graveyard. Immediately, Potter began dragging Diggory out of the exit, leaving me behind. I managed to pull myself into a sitting position, my vision blurry as I watched the two of them duck behind a hedge. 

“Dead!” Potter yelled as he finally emerged from the exit. “He’s dead!” 

I managed to stagger out of the maze moments after them, the pain in my leg unbearable. I collapsed the second I was out, my legs too exhausted to support me anymore. My vision went dark, my brain clouding over.

Lord Voldemort was back. And that meant one thing.

I would become a Death Eater before the end of the summer.

OLIVE’S POINT-OF-VIEW

“Dead!” Potter’s voice rang over the crowd, and my heart stopped. “He’s dead!”

Malfoy stiffened beside me, a loud gasp escaping from Katie’s mouth. Blaise immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his chest protectively as she hid her face. I still didn’t know who it was, and my heart sank at the thought of it being Jack. It couldn’t be him, but Potter’s cry gave only two options. It was either Jack or Diggory.

“Draco Malfoy, you tell me what is going on,” I growled at Malfoy, yanking his sleeves once more. His gaze was broken, his eyes finally landing on me. They were wide, a look of complete disbelief. 

“It’s Diggory,” he muttered a moment later, looking back over the seventh-years’ heads. The stands immediately quieted as they recognized the body, though girls’ sobs soon filled the still air. Potter bent over Diggory as Dumbledore and Crouch stormed the field. I breathed a sigh of relief, though I immediately felt guilty. The seventh-years still hadn’t moved, and I angrily shoved them out of the way, standing between two of them. 

I watched as Jack stumbled out of the exit, clutching his leg as he fell to his knees just outside the hedges. He looked exhausted, his hair matted in sweat and his face covered with smears of dirt. His shirt was torn, a hole burned through his pants that exposed a rather irritated-looking blister. My eyes snapped downwards, expecting to see his parents. They were gone though, along with the Levskis and Karkaroff. Snape had abandoned his seat as well, though he was standing with Moody and McGonagall in front of the stands. 

Quickly, Dumbledore ushered Potter off the field, though he twisted and fought to remain by Diggory’s side. Moody practically had to drag him off, the two quickly disappearing within Hogwarts’ walls.

I had only talked to Diggory a handful of times, the first being with Katie on the quad last year. He was a charming young man, and my heart broke at the realization of his death.

But it wasn’t Jack. He was okay, and that’s all that mattered to me in that moment.

\---

“Where’d you get that?” I snorted as I gestured towards the rolled green and silver blanket tucked under Malfoy’s arm. He glanced down as he walked further into the common room, a small smirk on his face.

“Stole it from Goyle. He won’t miss it,” he shrugged, and the two of us slipped into the dungeon hallway. We had planned to watch the sunset from the astronomy tower for our last day of fourth-year. It had been a wild ten months, with the tournament, Jack’s past, everything. And I was looking forward to doing absolutely nothing other than lying by Malfoy’s side. 

Diggory’s memorial was held earlier that morning, students gathering in the Great Hall to pay respects and commemorate his life. Jack was required to stay in the hospital wing, his burn still being treated by Pomfrey. Apparently, it had been a rather nasty one, and it was a miracle he was able to walk on it for so long. Katie, Blaise, and I had walked to the Great Hall alone, the others not bothering to come. Their absence was barely noticeable though, as nearly the entire school had gathered.

I hadn’t gotten the chance to speak to Jack yet, Dumbledore requiring Pomfrey to prohibit any visitors. I was desperate to know what happened inside the maze, what the spectators couldn’t see, but I guess it would come in time. 

“C’mon,” Malfoy’s voice caught my attention, and I looked up to see him standing ten feet away, further down the hallway. The sky was already getting dark, which meant we had to hurry. Nodding, I jogged to catch up with him, and he matched my pace as we ran down the hallway. Filch shouldn’t be wandering this early, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Ten minutes later, Malfoy had spread the blanket over the stone floor, taking extra care to lay out the corners properly. Snickering, I watched him kneel down and tug at the bottom hem to straighten it, the tip of his tongue trapped between his teeth in concentration. 

The sky was beginning to morph into a light pink, indicating the beginning of the sun’s descent. Malfoy sat first, his back leaning against the stone wall. Smiling at him, I dropped to my knees on the blanket before crawling into my space by his side. Instinctively, his arm wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me further into him. My head laid on his shoulder like normal, the rhythm of our breathing soon matching the others. 

His thumb brushed over my shoulder every once in a while. The colors morphed into different hues, the rays of sun reflecting back inside the tower. Like last year, we sat in silence, though I think we were a bit more comfortable this year. 

Twenty minutes later, we had shifted further down the wall, practically laying on the ground. Malfoy had bunched up his robes, forming a makeshift pillow for him to rest his head on. I didn’t need one though, his chest was more than enough. His heart beat steadily under my ear, his forefinger lazily drawing circles on my back. The sun had gotten engulfed by the horizon ten minutes ago, drawing the frogs and crickets out of the shadows as they began to croak and chirp. Birds had stopped singing, tucking themselves away in their nests for the night.

“You think next year will be better?” he muttered, and I could hear his words reverberating deep within his chest. I lifted my head, skimming my hand from his stomach upwards so I could rest my chin on top. He looked down at me, one arm propped behind his head.

“I sure hope so,” I chuckled, shooting him a small smile. He returned it, his eyes glancing back out the tower. Stars had started to dot the sky, which was becoming increasingly darker. I rested my cheek on his chest again, my fingers drumming on his stomach. His presence was incredibly calming, I nearly fell asleep two different times over the next ten minutes.

A few moments later, he inhaled sharply, like he was keeping himself from sleep as well. I sat up, holding out a hand as I stood on my knees. He arched an eyebrow, looking at me with playful suspicion. But he took my hand, and we stood up together. 

“Which one is Draco?” I murmured, interlocking my fingers with his as I led him to the metal railing. A warm summer wind breezed through the tower, but the goosebumps on my arms were because of him. He had a grin on his face as he leaned over the railing, craning his head upwards so he could look up into the sky. I wasn’t sure if it was quite dark enough yet, but watching him as his eyes swept the heavens made my stomach flip.

He was really cute.

“Up there,” he unwrapped his fingers from the railing, pointing upwards. I turned my head, attempting to follow, but I immediately got lost in the mess of stars. Chuckling, I shook my head as I turned back around to face him. He dropped his hand from mine, reaching up and placing it on my back. I let him turn me again, my back pressing up against his chest.

“There,” he repeated from behind me, his breath tickling my ear as the two of us leaned over the railing. He kept his hand on my waist in a protective manner, careful to make sure we didn’t fall. His finger traced the constellation, some stars flickering brighter than the others. I wasn’t completely sure if I was looking at the right one, or if I had accidentally looked awry from the constellation, but it didn’t matter. Malfoy’s sheer excitement was enough.

“Andromeda, my aunt,” he pointed to another one, further down on the horizon. The stars were fainter, so I could just barely make it out. I happily listened as he talked about his relatives, showing me the respective constellations. When he came to a stop, he wrapped his fingers around the railing once more, but my back never left his chest. He leaned against a stone pillar, providing enough support for the two of us.

We stood like that for a few minutes, my hand coming to rest on top of his on my waist. And I really hoped he was thinking the same thing that I was. 

Tentatively, but before I could change my mind, I turned around slowly. Malfoy’s hand skimmed over my back as I turned, never once letting me go as it came to a rest on the small of my back. My other hand placed itself on his chest, and although I didn’t see it, his hand gripped the railing tighter. 

My head tilted back so I could look him in the eyes. I must’ve not noticed his increasing height, my mind filled with worrying about other things this year. His blue ones pierced back into mine, darting from my right to my left, and back. My lips parted, quickly glancing down to see his do the same. But before I could do anything, he leaned downwards slowly, like he was ensuring I was okay with it. His lips came to a stop millimeters from me, his breath ghosting over my face. Unconsciously, my hands slipped up his chest, coming to a rest on either sides of his neck. 

A gentle brush of my thumbs was all he needed to close the gap, to press his lips against mine. My stomach erupted in butterflies, every single one of my nerves feeling like they had been set ablaze. Instantaneously, my eyes fluttered closed as one hand traveled down to his chest again. A rush spread over my body, tingling down each of my limbs. My heart continued to pump, sending rush after rush. It could’ve been the wave of emotions that crashed over me, but I didn’t feel his other hand unwrap from the railing and rest on my waist. He pulled me closer, his head just barely tilting to the right as mine followed suit. 

I pressed my body against his, pushing him further into the stone pillar. A moment later, he pulled away, a lazy smirk on his face as he leaned his head against the stone. A grin spread over my face as my hand slipped behind his neck, pulling him down for another kiss. He gave in easily, one hand rubbing up and down my side as the other stayed put on my back.

It was everything I never knew I wanted. In that moment, when his lips were on mine, everything else melted away. It was just him and I on the entire planet. There had been no awkwardness between us, no hesitation at all. We both knew the other wanted it, it was just a matter of who was to make the first move.

I retreated first this time, my lips tingling as they curved into a smile. Malfoy rested his hands on my waist, his tongue darting out to wet his bottom lip. I had always heard of getting cotton mouth during kissing, that your tongue and lips went dry a moment after you stop. And I guess mine had, though I ignored it as I gulped.

In typical Malfoy fashion, a smirk sat on his lips as he looked down at me.

“I reckon next year is going to be better.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t really know what this chapter is, i just kinda wrote it and then was like yeah okay that’ll do, but apologies if the writing doesn’t flow extremely well!! (I took most of Voldemort’s lines from the book bc i was too lazy and clearly me and Dobby (bc fuck rowling) write differently lmfao) also sorry if it feels like I stepped on the gas real fast in the last couple chapters, I got so fuckin fed up with fourth year that I just wanted it to be over. But anyways, a little head nod to the mystery behind Olive’s parents in this chapter, hope you guys find it lol
> 
> Also u lil shits wanting jack to die smh, i need him in the future so bye ceddy
> 
> also outta curiousity bc I'm not totally familiar with how ao3 works, do you who are subscribed/bookmarked/whatever idk get notified when I post a new chapter?


	42. chapter thirty-nine

Monday morning was absolute chaos.

Katie, Pansy, and I had procrastinated packing the night before, though we hadn’t meant to. With me returning late from the astronomy tower with Malfoy, and the others spending their evenings with Blaise and Liam, we simply ran out of time. So, with thirty minutes until our trunks were needed in the common room, the three of us were running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

“Katie, is this your tie? It was in my dresser!”

“Your boots ended up under my bed again, Olive.”

“Pansy, can you stop borrowing my hair ties without asking?”

Clothes were thrown haphazardly into my trunk, my hands continuously shoving them as packed as possible. I figured jeans and a sweater would suffice on the train, so I pressed my robes into the trunk, sitting on top of it so I could latch it. Our sheets were pulled from the bed, piled in the corner so it would be easier for the elves to gather them. 

The three of us were nearly the last ones into the common room, wheeling our trunks into the center and righting them side by side. The boys were already sitting on a couch, Malfoy lounged back as his legs were kicked onto the table. Jack was perched on the armrest, his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. His leg was still bandaged, a pair of crutches leaning against the leather beside him. Pomfrey had released him with an order for a checkup at St. Mungo’s, making him promise he would do it as soon as possible.

His face had been cleaned up, just a few minor scratches here and there from branches in the maze. I still hadn’t gotten the chance to ask him about the task, as Pomfrey held him in the hospital wing all of Sunday. 

After ensuring my trunk wouldn’t tip over, I shuffled through two groups of Slytherins, squeezing between them as I approached the boys. I sat between Malfoy and Jack, though Jack had started talking with Blaise. He seemed to be his normal self, a gentle smile on his face as he listened.

Malfoy looked at my lack of robes, an eyebrow arching as his eyes swept over my sweater. “Shit, I didn’t think to pack my robes.” Muttering mostly to himself, he stood up and shrugged them down his arms. He held up a finger, telling me to wait, as he turned and pushed through the two groups of students. Ignoring the glares he received, he headed for the mountain of trunks.

Katie collapsed down next to me, taking Malfoy’s previous seat. I looked over at the movement, catching her gaze. “I am not looking forward to the train ride.”

I chuckled at her complaint, though I partially agreed. It was so long, nearly all of us were always on the verge of sleep by the end. Jack had been known to lay his legs over the others, his head resting against the window as he caught a few minutes of shut-eye. 

“Pansy’s riding with Liam,” she continued, glancing over to where the two were sitting by the windows that looked into the lake. I followed her gaze, a pang shooting through my heart. Pansy was cuddled to his chest, a smile on both of their faces as they talked. It wasn’t that I thought it was cute, it was more so that I was jealous, maybe. Malfoy had made it perfectly clear that he wanted to keep us private, and as much as I thought I was fine with it, maybe I wasn’t.

Malfoy’s torso came into my vision, causing my head to snap upwards. Since Katie had taken his spot, he sat on the edge of the table, rubbing at his eyes as he did so. We had stayed in the astronomy tower until late, the Draco constellation becoming more and more visible as it swept over the sky.

A few more small and chaste kisses were shared that night, only stopping because our smiles grew too large to keep at it. It was half past three when I finally stumbled into the dormitory.

The common room was alive with chatter, all the Slytherins excited to put an end to the year. When the prefects started ushering us out the door, I followed behind Katie and Blaise, Malfoy and Jack behind me. They hadn’t squabbled since the week before the third task, which was surprising, but I’d gladly take it.

Once we were out of the dungeons, Malfoy came to walk alongside me, leaving Jack behind with Crabbe and Goyle. He was wearing the same sweater he had the day Herbology was cancelled, his quidditch number proudly bared on his chest. I don’t think my lips had stopped tingling since last night, and I wanted nothing more than to plant another one on him. Before I could rationalize my thoughts, I grabbed Malfoy’s hand tightly. We were near the end of the Slytherin crowd, so our absence wouldn’t be that noticeable. 

With my sharp and impatient tug, Malfoy nearly stumbled over his own two feet as we slipped away from the others. 

“What are you doing?” he mumbled through a small laugh, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one had seen. I was steadfast though, hellbent on finding the perfect shadowed corner, or at least one that would do for now. The other houses shouldn’t be coming this way, there were more direct paths to the Hogwarts gates.

“Wilkinson-” he began, but I had finally found the spot I was looking for. Turning around, I let my feet backpedal as I brought him further into a small, dark corridor that branched off the hallway we were in. My back hit the stone wall a few moments later, my hand never once leaving Malfoy’s. I pulled him toward me, the grin on his face spreading as he realized. 

When he was close enough, I dropped my hand from his, letting my arms wrap themselves loosely around his neck. For anyone looking in from the hallway, I was completely hidden by Malfoy. His hands came to a rest on my hips, his thumbs brushing back and forth over the hem of my sweater. 

“What are you doing to me?” he mumbled, his eyes sweeping over my face. Too impatient for small talk, I let one of my hands rest on the back of his neck, pulling him down to me. Our lips pressed together, the same feeling from last night erupting in my stomach. My skin felt like it was both ice cold and on fire, the leftover tingling on my lips spreading to the rest of my body. 

Malfoy brought his chest closer to mine, pressing my back impossibly harder against the wall. He deepened the kiss more so than he had last night, his neediness matching mine. We wouldn’t have each other for the summer, and owls could only do so much. Part of me hated myself for keeping this until the end of the year, but it felt so incredibly right that I didn’t care.

He was mine now, and I was his.

A few moments later, I broke away first, desperate for a deep breath. My lungs were burning, but it was a good burn, one that he had caused. Resting my head against the wall, I shot him a lazy smirk as my eyes traced over his lips. They were a bit redder than usual, a bit plumper towards the middle. 

“We should catch up,” I murmured, one of my hands coming to tuck a piece of hair behind his ear. It was getting long, though I didn’t mind it. I just wished it was wavy like it had been in the greenhouse. His head leaned ever so slightly into my hand, so gentle that I don’t think he was even aware he did so.

“Yeah,” he bit his lip, his eyes sweeping over my lips before up to my eyes. He held them intently, one hand skimming my side to cup my ribcage. “Can’t miss the train.”

He placed a quick kiss on my lips before he pulled away, taking a step backwards as if to physically restrain himself from doing any more. My eyes crinkled as I looked at him, my grin so large it hurt my cheeks. We left the corridor side by side, Malfoy playfully pinching at the back of my neck. My laugh rang between the hallway, the sound echoing far ahead. 

We ran alongside one another, the soles of our shoes slapping the stone hard as we pushed our legs harder and harder. Managing to catch up just past the gates, we quickly slipped through a group of Ravenclaws before slowing at the back of the Slytherin crowd. I was slightly out of breath, my lips parted as I sucked in inhale after inhale. Malfoy was panting as well, his hands on his hips as we walked. 

Students were already gathering on the platform, the steam of the engine approaching in the distance. Malfoy and I stood by the others, me in between him and Jack. 

“Can’t say I’m surprised,” Jack chuckled, though his eyes held a tinge of sadness. I looked over at his voice, but I don’t think Malfoy heard. His gaze darted from Malfoy to me, his smile slightly faltering.

“Thank you,” I whispered, shooting him a grateful look. To anyone overhearing the small exchange, the gratitude might’ve seemed displaced. But I knew Jack would understand. He nodded, swallowing thickly as he turned his attention down the tracks. The Express was nearing, the red paint gleaming under the June sun. I dropped my gaze, looking at the platform as I bit my lip. It was hard, trying to decide if I regretted not speaking to Jack for the past six months. Maybe we just needed time away from one another, to let our friendship silently repair itself instead of us severing it on a whim.

“Go,” Malfoy muttered from beside me, slightly pushing my shoulder with his forearm. Students had already started to board the train, and the others were close to one of the doors. Blinking a couple times, I followed behind Jack, Malfoy behind me. Katie found an empty compartment almost immediately, near the back of the car. We filed in one after another, though I sat between Malfoy and Katie this time.

Crabbe, Goyle, and Jack sat across from us, Jack near the window. He was already looking outside, watching as the rest of the students boarded. Crabbe and Goyle were bickering about something, but it was too insignificant for me to care to listen.

“What the hell happened in the maze, mate?” Blaise asked, causing Jack’s attention to snap away from the window. Nobody had really seen him since we left the stands since he was swiftly pulled away into the hospital wing, and held there.

Jack inhaled a shaky breath, his face contorting in pain as he shifted in his seat. He caught the handles of his crutches as they began to slip down the seat, resting them against the bench again.

“The Triwizard cup was a portkey, like the one we used at the World Cup,” he started, nodding his head toward me when he mentioned last summer. I couldn’t believe it was almost a year ago. And I also couldn’t believe Jack was telling the truth, though I doubted he would tell the others about Durmstrang. It took a lot of his trust, telling us what actually happened. He could’ve so easily lied, though I think he would’ve done it to spare the others the worry and uncertainty of the future.

“Potter suggested him and Diggory take it, so it was still a Hogwarts victory. I grabbed onto Diggory just as they did, and the three of us got whirled into some graveyard, somewhere. Not sure where, actually,” Jack continued, his eyes darting around the group as he talked. All of us were completely invested, Blaise leaning forward onto his knees as he hung onto every word that came out of Jack’s mouth. 

Jack’s voice dropped to a whisper, his gaze averting to stare at the carpeted floor of the compartment. “And, uh, You-Know-Who’s back. He was there, he was, like, reborn out of this cauldron.”

A collective gasp escaped all of our lips, Malfoy stiffening beside me. Jack lifted his head a second later, his eyes meeting mine first. My lips had parted in shock, my heart feeling it was getting clenched by an invisible hand. I had only heard about You-Know-Who from Katie and Pansy, the two of them telling me about Potter’s deal. It was odd, feeling like I was the only witch who had entered Hogwarts without a clue of the story.

“Someone else, I’m not sure who, killed Diggory. And then all these Death Eaters came, it gets kinda blurry from then on out,” Jack concluded, his hand unconsciously running over the white dressing that Pomfrey had wrapped around his leg. “Before I knew it, I had landed back on the grass of the quidditch field. Potter left me behind, taking Diggory with him.”

“Death Eaters?” Malfoy nearly whispered, one eyebrow arched as he stared at Jack. Blaise and Katie looked over at him, but I don’t think Malfoy noticed. Jack nodded slowly, biting his lip. I had a feeling, deep down, that both of their parents were there. The fact that I hadn’t seen the Simmons’ when the task ended, along with the Levski’s, only solidified the feeling.

“He’s back,” Malfoy muttered, more so to himself than to us. It was like he was affirming it for himself, repeating Jack’s previous words. He leaned back against the upholstery of the bench, his eyes focused out the window. The Express had left the Hogsmeade station as Jack was talking, the group never noticing. We weren’t far out, but the tracks had already been enveloped by the forest.

“I can’t believe it,” Katie murmured, leaning her head against Blaise’s shoulder. Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other with wide eyes, Jack holding my gaze once more. I could tell there was something more he had to say, but I don’t think he could tell me right then with the others around. 

I was lost for words, my brain still processing what Jack had just said. He had pluralized Death Eaters though, and maybe it was foolish of me, but I realized that whoever had broken into my house last summer was a random one. There were so many choices, so many others I hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting yet. Someone sent on a mission, possibly. 

The seven of us were quiet for a few moments, Blaise comforting Katie by stroking her hair and whispering small reassurances that only she could hear. Part of me wished Malfoy would do the same, but his attention never left the window, watching the trees fly by. He was lost in thought, his forefinger sweeping over his chin absentmindedly. Jack had busied himself with tucking the ends of the bandage under itself, securing the wrapping even tighter. The walk from Hogwarts had loosened Pomfrey’s work. Crabbe and Goyle had started to mutter to each other, the two huddling together near the sliding door.

Which was opened a few moments later, the plump trolley lady not knowing what she had interrupted. “Anything from the trolley, dears?” She asked happily, her smile wide as her eyes swept over the seven stone-faced students. 

Blaise and Crabbe bought a couple things, Katie leaning over Blaise’s shoulder to make sure he was buying what she wanted. I took advantage of their attention being focused elsewhere, and I turned to Malfoy, nudging his shoulder with my hand. His head immediately snapped to his right, pushing himself off from where he was leaning against the window.

“You okay?” I whispered, my eyes quickly darting over to Jack. He was leaned over, fixing the bottom edge of the bandage, and wasn’t paying attention. Malfoy blinked a few times as he nodded, swallowing rather thickly. 

“Yeah,” he reassured me, shooting me a small smile. His hands ran over his thighs nervously though, his fingers running smoothly over the material of his trousers a few times. I didn’t fully believe him, but I decided to shrug it off given the small enclosure of the compartment.

I could hear the door sliding shut behind me indicating the trolley lady had moved on to the next group. Bags of candy were passed around, Blaise and Katie soon picking up a small guessing game with the jelly beans.

The next few hours were filled with lots of gossip, Katie somehow knowing all the juicy stories from the other houses. 

“Olive, truth or dare?”

I was looking out the window when Katie spoke up. Malfoy had switched positions with me an hour ago, letting me daydream as I watched the surroundings pass by. 

“Uh, truth,” I shrugged, not feeling like leaving the compartment. She had been known to come up with some crazy dares on the train rides, and I simply didn’t have the energy. 

“Are you happy that Pansy’s with Liam now?” she asked, waggling her eyebrows playfully. I chuckled, leaning forward so I could see around Malfoy. The intensity of his gaze could’ve set fire to my hair, but I ignored it. 

“God, yes. She always used to whine about Pucey,” I agreed with Katie, the two of us falling into a small fit of giggles. There were other reasons that I was happy about, but I decided to keep them to myself. After I dared Blaise to down the rest of the jelly beans in the box in a single swallow, Malfoy knocked his knee against mine, though he played it off as readjusting himself on the bench. 

I followed suit, lifting my back off the bench as I rearranged my legs, crossing one over the other. Truthfully, the benches became extremely uncomfortable after a few hours, but I took advantage of the opportunity for my foot to brush up against Malfoy’s shin.

Twenty minutes later, Malfoy was the only one who had yet to complete a truth or a dare. Jack had been dared to kiss a Gryffindor in the compartment over, but he had only kissed her cheek when she consented. Crabbe rolled his eyes at it, waving Jack’s “technically, you didn’t say where” claim off. Katie had finally confessed to having a crush on Jack before she started dating Blaise, who flipped off Jack once he heard. Goyle had admitted his blanket was sewn by his mother, which I hadn’t realized was a secret he had only told me last year.

“Malfoy, truth or dare?” Jack asked, crossing his bad leg over his good one as he leaned back. His hands came to rest behind his head, a tiny smirk on his face. 

“Truth,” Malfoy answered quickly.

“Lame,” Jack shook his head gently. His gaze flicked to meet mine, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Dare then, Simmons,” Malfoy scoffed, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Jack. I prayed that Jack wouldn’t say anything stupid, but I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Blaise had kept his word so far, and I hoped Jack would keep Malfoy and I’s earlier escapade between the three of us.

“Hm,” Jack hummed, his mind searching for a good dare. “Switch sweaters with Olive.”

It was my turn to scoff, but it was in a playful manner. The dare was childish, but I didn’t mind. Malfoy rolled his eyes, but he turned to look at me. I think he knew it was an easy dare, but it was almost as if he was asking for my permission. Silently, of course. I didn’t expect him to ask for it outright.

I shrugged, internally thanking myself for wearing a tank top underneath. It was just an old Slytherin sweater, but I already knew it would be small on Malfoy since it was getting small on me. Katie giggled as I yanked it over my head before Malfoy could even stand. He had a button-up underneath his, the crisp collar poking out by his neck.

The others laughed as Malfoy and I traded sweaters, Blaise hiding his snickering in Katie’s shoulder. As soon as I slipped Malfoy’s over my head, I was met with the smell of him. Stronger near the collar, most likely the place he sprayed cologne the most. Biting my lip, I tried to play it off as I fixed the bottom hem. 

Malfoy was looking down at himself, the sweater tight across his shoulders and chest, but rather baggy at his hips. Crabbe and Goyle howled in laughter so loud, I was sure the other compartments could hear through the glass. Malfoy shot them a glare though, picking at the material in hopes to loosen it up. I swatted his hand away when he began to pull at a loose thread, making him stop from making the hole any bigger.

The truths and dares continued until they got too lazy to be fun anymore. Malfoy and I had never switched back, his sweater becoming more and more comfortable. The sleeves were just long enough to tug over my hands. He and I continued to knock our knees together when the others weren’t looking, a small gesture that I knew made us both grin inwardly.

\---

Before the Express even approached the platform at King’s Cross, students were already standing and waiting in the aisleway. I think the outcome at the tournament had pushed many over the edge, desperate to get home for a few months. 

Malfoy had shed my sweater, leaving him in just the white button-up he was wearing prior. He shoved my sweater back into my hands as the group stood, ignoring my request for him to wait so I could slip off his. 

I walked between Malfoy and Jack as we filed out of the train, a sigh of relief escaping my lips as soon as my feet came into contact with the solid floor of the platform. Jack immediately waved goodbye, hobbling off to the left on his crutches. I barely got a glimpse of his parents, his father standing tall above his mother as they waited for Jack to approach.

Katie and Blaise ran off together, Katie yelling over the crowd that she would write as soon as she could. She was supposed to stay with Blaise’s family for the first half of July, so I expected a letter sometime after then.

It was soon only Malfoy and I standing together, a few parents eyeing the green and silver of our sweaters. Ginny’s red hair flashed by, all her brothers in tow as they made their way out of the train. We caught each others’ eye, giving the other a quick wave. I hadn’t seen her since the second task, the difference in both house and class times often the cause. 

“I can write to you,” Malfoy said suddenly, his hands shoved far into the pockets of his trousers. I looked from where I was scouring for my aunt, my attention snapping back to his face. Nodding, a small smile crossed my face, and he wore an identical one a second later. 

“Yeah,” I agreed, insinuating I would do the same.

Like it had in Diagon Alley, his father’s cane swiped between us, coming to a rest on Malfoy’s shoulder. The glint of the silver caught my eye, causing me to break our gaze. Mr. Malfoy was on the other end, the cane slipping through his hand until the end thumped against the ground. 

“Miss Wilkinson,” he greeted with a nod of his head, and I returned the gesture politely. His eyes lingered on his son’s quidditch number on my chest, before he finally raised his chin a moment later. Malfoy’s mother was missing from her husband’s side, but I supposed she could simply be somewhere else. The events of the school year had darkened all my thoughts, turning previously happy and carefree ones into worried and anxious ones. 

“Come, Draco. We have guests at home,” he turned his attention to Malfoy with a stiff twist of his head, his hand clasping the snake’s head on the end of his cane. Malfoy nodded, though the response felt hesitant and almost sad. It would most likely be the last time we would see each other until September.

“Of course, father,” Malfoy answered, turning with his father as the two of them began to walk away. I gave him one last smile before his head faced forward, a small one lacing his lips as well. Immediately, I started looking around for Aunt Beth, my eyes skimming over the top of the crowd. I had been so busy trying to find her that I missed Malfoy glance over his shoulder for one last look.

Aunt Beth tackled me with a hug, telling me that she had heard about Diggory and the third task at the Ministry. Her eyes held a deep worry, one that I had never seen before. As we were walking to the car, her words were frantic as she told me about You-Know-Who’s return, combined with the assembly of the Death Eaters. 

The car ride was a drastic difference though, filled with happy music and laughing as we caught each other up on what happened. I kept Malfoy a secret from her, as I remembered her reaction when I mentioned him the first time. She had seemed standoffish, like she had a distaste for the family name. 

Like she had during my third year, she continued to make improvements to the house. My father was usually in charge when he was alive, loving to spend time fixing things that had broken. That being said, my aunt actually implemented magic, which helped her cross off her to-do list much quicker.

I was unpacking when I noticed a glint of silver near the top of my trunk, nearly half swaddled in a sweater. My fingers curled around the chain, pulling it from between the scrunched material. A simple, plain band hung from the bottom, swinging ever so slightly as I brought the chain higher into the air. It was Malfoy’s ring, the one I had told him I liked. 

Like he had with the chocolate frog last year, he must’ve slipped it into my trunk when I wasn’t looking in the common room. I let the ring rest in my hand as I brought it closer to my eyes, squinting at the small inscription on the inner side. When it was on his finger, I couldn’t have seen it, it was pressed against his skin.

“D. Malfoy.”

His name was a bit worn, most likely from rubbing against his finger. 

Out of sheer curiosity, I slipped the band onto my middle finger. It was too big, the circumference clearly fitted perfectly for his finger. He must’ve figured that as well, deciding to slip it onto a chain instead. And the chain was long as well, the length exactly what I favored. Long enough to tuck away, to hide from others’ view.

I unclasped the fastening, securing it around my neck before letting it rest against my sternum. It sat in alignment with the necklace from my parents, the silver of each perfectly matching the other. I glanced in the mirror, my fingertips tracing down the chain.

And I smiled the largest I had since my parents died.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also this is another weird question, but how long does it take you guys to read a chapter? Obviously everyone reads at different paces, but I was just curious lol
> 
> Also also I found out that this fic has nearly the same amount of words as GOF???!! Wtf lol i’m off by only like 10,000 words, but that’s usually about two-ish chapters for me anyways what the SHIT, writing this and interacting with you guys (i’ve made so many friends :’) ) has been the most fun I’ve had in YEARS, I’m so happy I decided to post that first chapter nearly two months ago THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH I LOVE YOU
> 
> Edit: Um well this funny bc I’m adding this part of the author’s note the night after I wrote the previous paragraph and I absolutely hate to get all sad and dramatic on you guys, but basically my sister found out about this and told my parents :( they basically just said they’re disappointed in me, that I’m a disappointment to the family, that my writing was crap and that the fic is a waste of my time. I’m still really happy that I posted in September, but it’s really hard knowing that your parents are so disappointed in something that you’re so proud of :( I’m not planning to stop anytime soon, I still have so much to write, but I honestly just don’t know how often I’ll update anymore :/ (which is rlly ironic since I just made that note about my update schedule a few chapters back lol) Also, I’m really sorry this chapter is so much shorter than usual, I had nearly all of it written last night, and then I couldn’t think extremely well tonight lol


	43. chapter forty

The necklace my parents gave me never left my neck, no matter what. And now, Malfoy’s didn’t either. 

The simple band was worn when I slept, when I showered, when I went for a run through the neighborhood. It was always there, hanging just right of my heart. 

I had been home for a week, but I had finally broke and told Aunt Beth everything. All about Jack, Ivan, even Malfoy. She listened with wide eyes, letting out small sighs of sympathy every once in a while. I didn’t tell her the extent of Malfoy and I’s relationship, leaving out the events in the astronomy tower, and the dance in the greenhouse. As far as she knew, we were simply both Slytherins in the same friend group. 

Part of me felt guilty about it. Aunt Beth had stayed by my side nonstop since my parents’ death, so telling her the truth was the least I could do. We had a bond that most aunts and nieces didn’t have, one that shouldn’t be broken over something as trivial as boy problems. But when she had scoffed at the fact that both Ivan and Jack’s parents were Death Eaters, I couldn’t bring myself to tell her about Malfoy. 

I was woken by an owl angrily rapping at my window, a rolled up sheet of parchment tied to its ankle. The bird was a mix of earthy colors, its eyes a contrasting warm orange. Groaning, I rolled my face into my pillow, wrapping the sides over my ears. It continued though, so impatient I feared it would shatter the glass with its beak.

“Olive! Shut that bird up!” Aunt Beth yelled from the other room, making me chuckle into my pillow. We had left my parent’s room untouched since that summer, their clothes still hanging in their closet, my mum’s alarm clock still set to that too-early time. She had claimed the guest room as hers, which was adjacent to mine.

I didn’t move, my eyes squeezing shut as I wished for another few moments of darkness. “Olive!” she yelled again, her tone much too sharp and irritated for this early in the morning. The owl had begun hooting, slamming its beak against the glass panes at a faster pace.

“Jesus Christ,” I muttered under my breath, sliding my legs off the mattress. I wouldn’t be surprised if the damn thing was waking up the neighbors. Rubbing my eyes, I padded across the carpet of my room, reaching my window a few moments later. The owl hadn’t let up at my movement, though, still making an abominable amount of noise. 

“Shut up, will you?” I rolled my eyes, twisting the latch of my window and opening it. The owl let himself in, hopping a few paces before resting on my windowsill. It had tracked in a bit of dirt from the flower box that Aunt Beth had hung on, some pansies had been trampled once he landed. 

Impatiently, the owl held up his leg, his wide orange eyes staring at me. As I untied the string, I looked around my dresser, hoping I had a few treats. In the summers, Aunt Beth liked to keep our owls in the backyard in enclosures, so all the pellets and treats went with them.

I was unrolling the sheet when the owl nipped at the back of my hand, the sharpness of its beak digging into my skin and leaving behind a shallow scratch. It stung, though, a few small beads of blood beginning to dot over my skin.

Now even more annoyed with the owl, I set the letter on the top of my dresser, deciding to retrieve pellets for the damn thing. Five minutes later, he was pecking in the flowers, and I had plastered a bandage onto the back of my hand. His orange eyes were blinking slowly as he ate pellet after pellet, swiveling his head to look at me occasionally. He used his beak to sift through the handful I gave him, like he was searching for the best option. Scoffing at his pretentiousness, I sat down on the carpet, my back leaning against the side of the dresser as I finally got the chance to read the letter.

It couldn’t have been Katie, I knew she would be busy with Blaise’s family. And I doubted it was Jack, he was most likely making routine visits at St. Mungo’s until his burn completely healed.

“”Dear Wilkinson,””

From the first line, and the distinctive handwriting, I knew it was Malfoy. Smirking to myself, I gripped the parchment between my hands, suddenly extremely excited to read the rest.

“”I hope Niklaus made it to the right place, he’s getting rather old and rather prickly.””

I glanced up at the owl, who had his eyes closed as he rested on my windowsill. Scowling at the bird, I looked back down at the letter. He was prickly alright. 

“”I don’t suppose you would have any on hand, but he prefers the Eeylops Premium Amphibian treats. It’s all my mother feeds him. They say Eagle owls aren’t very picky in the wild, but he’s got quite the refined palate for one. Maybe it’s because he’s been domesticated.

That wasn’t the point of this letter though, to let you know what kind of food my owl likes.””

I chuckled when I saw the splotch of ink following the sentence. Malfoy never made mistakes when he wrote, so he must’ve been flustered, or simply didn’t notice the tip of the quill was touching the parchment as he thought.

“”Your quill is absolute rubbish, by the way. No wonder you needed mine. That’s a joke, since it probably isn’t clear through owl. 

I hope you’re having a good summer holiday so far. My father sends his best as well, he would like to invite you to dinner later this month, if that’s alright. If not, don’t respond and I can tell him Niklaus is losing it. Maybe I can get a new owl out of it.

I miss you, and I hope you and your aunt are doing well.

Best regards,

D. Malfoy””

My eyes swept over his writing a few times, always catching on the ink spot. My stomach had twisted when I read his father’s request, having to read it over a few times to make sure I had seen it right. And my heart had leaped into my throat when I read “I miss you.” 

I had packed all my Hogwarts supplies into the bottom drawer of my dresser, now having the ability to place a locking spell over it to keep my Muggle friends out. With a flick of my wand, I rummaged between Slytherin-crested robes and magic textbooks, finally finding an empty roll of parchment. It was nearing the end of the supply, but it would be enough.

I kept the quill he had given me in my nightstand, careful to keep the white feather from being damaged. Setting myself on my bed, I tucked my legs underneath me as I began a response. 

“”Dear Malfoy, 

Your owl is kind of a git. He nipped at my hand. If you send him again, please send him with his special treats, my owls eat like common folk compared to yours. (That’s a joke, since we’re pointing them out now.)

Thank you for the ring, first of all. I hope you’ll be happy to know I haven’t taken it off since I found it in my trunk. 

I’d be delighted to come to dinner. I’m excited to see your mother’s garden, as well as any new methods you’ve devised for setting house-elves free.””

I chuckled to myself, the second joke fairly stupid. My hand hovered over the parchment as I tried to decide how to word my next sentence.

“”You’ll need to help me come up with a ruse, though. And also how to get to your house. I haven’t exactly told my aunt about us.””

I probably could have worded it better, but I hoped Malfoy would understand.

“”I miss you too.

With even better regards,

O. Wilkinson””

Satisfied with the letter, I rolled it tightly and secured it with the same thread that came with Malfoy’s. Niklaus raised his leg as I tied it around him, carefully giving him a head scratch. Surprisingly, and maybe it was only because he was fed, he closed his eyes and leaned into my touch. 

“Go on home,” I murmured, nudging him into the flower box again. With a flap of his wings, he soared into the sky. I watched until he was a blip in the clouds, eventually disappearing until I would see him next.

\---

Three days later, Niklaus returned, though at a much more reasonable hour. Aunt Beth and I had ordered out a pizza for dinner, the two of us planning to watch romantic comedy movies until we fell asleep. All three of our owls were on their perches in the backyard, soaking up the warm temperatures mid-July offered us. 

Niklaus’ arrival was much less elegant than last time though, as he had nearly collided into the open patio door. He had barreled into the kitchen with a loud bang, skidding to a stop on the wooden floors. Aunt Beth had screamed at the sudden intrusion, her pizza slipping out of her hand and back onto her plate. I had jumped as well, but more so because of her reaction.

I stood, setting my plate on the coffee table as I did so. Malfoy’s owl was reorienting himself on the wood floors of the kitchen, his eyes blinking slowly. When he saw me approach, he held up his leg like he was trained to do, though he lost his balance and fell onto his back. Our owls had begun to hoot in the back, curious as to who the new owl was. 

Sure enough, Malfoy had tied two things to his owl’s legs. Niklaus’ left leg held a letter, and his right held a small pouch of his favorite treats.

“Who’s it from?” Aunt Beth called from the living room, her gaze still pinned on the television. The protagonist was about to kiss the boy for the first time, and Aunt Beth wasn’t planning on missing it. 

“Katie!” I responded, trying to keep my voice light through the white lie. It wasn’t harmful, anyways. 

“She needs a new owl,” Aunt Beth mumbled through a bite of pizza, but she stayed put on the couch. I tugged the sleeve of my sweatshirt down from my elbow, righting Niklaus carefully and offering him my forearm. He stepped on, and I winced as the tip of his talons just barely poked through the cloth. Standing slowly, I grasped the letter and the bag in one hand as I led him outside. He hopped onto the patio table, immediately slamming his beak against the glass in a demand for food.

Opening the pouch, I nearly gagged at the fishy, aquatic smell. Except the pellets weren’t made of fish, they were made of a mix of amphibians. I wasn’t sure what Niklaus found delicious in a mash-up of frog guts and salamander eyes, but I let him eat while I unrolled Malfoy’s letter. This time, he had secured the parchment with a press of his family crest, the “M” matching the design on his ring. 

“”Dear Wilkinson,

I’m sorry to hear about Klaus’ bite. I gave him a stern talking to once I found out.””

I laughed out loud, imagining Malfoy scolding his owl. I immediately quieted myself though, hoping Aunt Beth hadn’t overheard. The scratch had healed almost immediately, especially since it hadn’t been that deep.

“”I haven’t told my parents about us, either. They just think we’re friends. Not that we aren’t, but you know what I mean.””

His words came off as flustered and nervous, like those in the previous letter. Part of me was surprised that Malfoy hadn’t rewritten his letter until it was perfect in his eyes, but maybe he had.

“”Meet me in front of Flourish and Blotts on 24 July, 5:00 pm. We can use the Floo network to travel to my house, and then I can bring you back home afterwards.””

Seven days. A week. That’s all I had to wait until I could see Malfoy again. And I tried my hardest to convince myself it would fly by before I knew it.

“”With even better, bigger regards,

D. Malfoy””

I let out a huff of amusement when I read his last sentence. He always had to one-up me, no matter what we were doing. 

Dashing inside, I ran up the stairs to grab another sheet of parchment and quill. Aunt Beth hummed a questioning noise at my movement, but her attention was completely engrossed in the program. I sat at the patio table again, Niklaus nearing the end of his treats.

“”Dear Malfoy,

I know what you mean.

I’ll see you then.

With the best and biggest regards you’ve ever seen,

O. Wilkinson””

I decided to keep the letter short and sweet. Since dusk was swiftly approaching, I let Niklaus into the others’ enclosure, letting him rest for the night. He could fly back home in the morning. 

Rolling up the letter tightly, I tucked it into the treat bag, setting it next to the owls’ water dish so I would remember it tomorrow morning. The rest of the night was spent lounging on the couch with Aunt Beth, half a pizza eventually in my stomach. Dozing off much earlier than I had expected, the two of us slept on the couches for the night. 

The sliding of the patio door woke me the next morning, accidentally running the bottom against the metal track. A loud screech rang through the otherwise silent house, causing the owls to stir as well. My heart already pounding in fear of another Death Eater, I screwed my eyes shut as I prepared myself. My wand was upstairs, but I hoped I could “accio” it from here. I lifted my head from the couch armrest, looking into the kitchen. Aunt Beth was hunched over the door, swearing under her breath as she tried to realign the door. 

I let my head drop back down as I let out a sigh of relief, my eyes fluttering shut once more. Dealing with a Death Eater at this time of day wasn’t exactly something I wanted to do. I let my body snooze for another half hour, the noises of Aunt Beth making breakfast slipping in and out of my ears.

Six more days.

I spent the day cleaning my room, finally going through the amount of laundry I had accumulated over the last few weeks at Hogwarts. That afternoon, I went for ice cream with some of my childhood Muggle friends, who asked all about the mysterious boarding school that I had been sent to. For the Muggle world, my parents’ death had been played off as an unfortunate car accident in London.

Five more days.

It felt so soon, yet so far away. My stomach had begun to fill with butterflies, like it did whenever Malfoy snuck me a glance across the house table in the Great Hall. Or when his knee knocked against mine in Potions, or when his fingers slipped in between mine. The day was spent assisting Aunt Beth in renovating the planters outside, since she had decided to go with more vibrant flowers for the summer season. I had told her Katie wanted to have a shopping day in Diagon Alley later this week, to which she had happily approved.

Four more days.

I had begun to worry about what to wear, how to style my hair. Which was big, since I never put much effort into it. I considered writing Malfoy a quick letter, asking him what kind of clothes would be acceptable. But I decided against it, the timing much too close for a proper response on both ends. 

Three.

Aunt Beth and I had made a day-trip into Diagon Alley, which was only a couple Muggle bus rides away. We had taken the Knight bus this time, though. I spent the entire ride with my eyes squeezed shut in hopes the sudden changes and turns wouldn’t upset my stomach. Diagon Alley was fairly quiet, it being too early in the summer for students to buy their supplies for the school year. Unconsciously, I had slowed my pace when we were passing by Flourish and Blotts, my gaze landing on the entrance. Aunt Beth had tugged me along, teasing me that I needed to get out of my head every once in a while.

Two.

I was officially worrying about what to wear. The dress I wore to the Yule Ball was much too formal, but wasn’t it silly to wear a Slytherin sweater? His parents knew we were in the same house, it would make me look like an idiot. But I didn’t want to wear Muggle clothes, wanting to avoid any Muggle brand names adorned on my blouse or jacket. And I also didn’t want to wear what I wore for classes, the typical white button-up with a gray jumper and Slytherin tie. The entire afternoon was spent sitting cross-legged on the carpet of my bedroom, staring aimlessly into my closet. 

One.

I had finally decided on a sundress paired with a jacket. It had been my aunt’s from when she was younger, one that she claimed she had bought in a wizarding clothing store. No Muggle brands, no Slytherin colors. Besides, the days were getting hotter and hotter as the days progressed into late July.

It was today.

From the minute I woke until noon, I stayed in bed, staring up at the ceiling. My stomach was a jumble of nerves, much too anxious to eat breakfast. I couldn’t understand why I was so nervous, though I supposed it could be properly meeting his mother, and seeing his father again. I hoped seeing Malfoy before would calm me, as he tended to have that effect when we were alone.

I set aside thirty minutes for my travel to Diagon Alley, plus another ten to reach Flourish and Blotts in time. I didn’t want to keep Malfoy waiting.

Showering and drying my hair went quickly, much quicker than I had expected. I wished the minutes would go by faster, but they were dragging on, taunting me. Part of me wondered if Malfoy was as nervous as I was. Of course, he had lived with his parents since he was born, so why would he be.

The butterflies had turned into angry Cornish pixies, which were starting a war between the walls of my stomach. Nerves had morphed into sharp sporadic pains, a rise of nausea washing over me every once in a while. It was just the Malfoys, I tried to remind myself. Just one of the most notable and reputable families in all of wizarding history. I fell face-first onto my bed, closing my eyes as I let all four of my limbs splay out around me.

Aunt Beth was out at a late lunch with her old friends from Hogwarts, most likely still gone by the time I had to leave. I was on my own to call the Knight bus, though from what Aunt Beth made it out to be, it shouldn’t be too hard.

With one last glance in the mirror, I smoothed out any wrinkles in the skirt of my dress, the material slightly ruffled. I had decided to bring my wand just in case, slipping it up the pocket of my jacket so it would be hidden from sight. The pixies were sleeping in my stomach, allowing me a few quiet moments to breathe and recollect my thoughts.

It would be fine. It had to be.

Writing a quick note to Aunt Beth as a reminder, I set it on the kitchen counter in a place she would see it. Once I reached the curb of the driveway, I held my wand hand in the air, my eyes sweeping the quiet street. I jumped when the bus suddenly came barreling around a corner, squeezing between two cars that were parked opposite the street. 

The same driver that had welcomed Aunt Beth and I before swung open the door, allowing me to duck into the bus. I took a seat a couple rows back, a few other witches and wizards sat around the bus. A man sat against the window in the first row, buried in the newspaper as his son ran a toy car up and down the armrest.

The stop for Diagon Alley was thirty minutes later, just as I had expected. I thanked the driver as I hopped down the steps, staring at the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron. Slipping behind a rather large man, I entered the pub and quickly made my way to the back courtyard. A family of wizards were tapping the wall as I approached, and with only a quick smile, they let me follow them through into the Alley. 

Like it had been earlier this week, Diagon Alley was rather quiet. Sneaking a glance inside a shop I was passing, I saw that I had ten minutes until five. At the realization, the pixies woke up, once again bouncing around my stomach. I shoved my hands into the pockets of my jacket, my fingers unconsciously wrapping around the handle of my wand.

Briskly walking over the cobblestone streets, I took a left turn and walked towards Flourish and Blotts. He was already there, though, leaning up against the railing that separated the shop’s entrance from the street. Malfoy’s head was bent towards the ground, his hands deep in the pockets of his suit. It was similar to the one he had worn last summer, but he had grown so much it had to be a different one. 

The anxious feeling inside me immediately subsided as I approached quietly, the soles of my shoes padding over the stone street. He didn’t look up as I neared, much too entranced with tracing various bricks with his eyes. 

“Hey, you,” I breathed once I was within his earshot. His head immediately snapped upwards, turning towards me. Pushing himself off the railing, he gave me a warm smile as his hands retreated from his pockets.

“Should’ve told me to dress nicer,” I chuckled, gesturing to the crisp collar of his suit. It was all black, even his undershirt. He glanced down, his hands nervously running over the pockets, smoothing them out after they had gotten bunched up when his hands were inside.

“You look fine,” he assured me, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

“Fine?” I teased, a playful glint in my eye to tell him I wasn’t serious.

“Beautiful,” he corrected himself, and a blush spread over my cheeks before I could stop it. I averted my gaze, my eyes scouring the cobblestone as I tried to rack my brain for something to say. For whatever reason, I couldn’t, simply getting lost in his presence. It was the first time we were alone outside of Hogwarts, in a place I doubted anyone would know who we were. Unless they recognized Malfoy’s hair, of course.

My dress was cut low enough to see the chains I proudly wore around my neck, but the olive branch pendant and Malfoy’s ring were hidden under the neckline. He must’ve noticed the two chains though, his eyebrows furrowing as his eyes swept over my collarbones. 

“Uh,” he started, causing me to look back at him. Immediately though, I caught onto his worry, like we were talking telepathically. A sorrowful pang shot through my heart, though I knew it was probably for the best. Nodding silently, I reached up behind my neck and unclasped the chain that held his ring. 

“I just haven’t told them, and they’ve been looking everywhere for the ring,” he mumbled under his breath, clearly annoyed with himself. I brushed it off though, taking his hand in mine and laying the chain in his palm. Pushing his fingers inward, I trapped the necklace in his closed grasp, my hands resting on both sides of his fist.

“It’s fine, honest,” I reassured him, shooting him a small smile. He returned it, tucking the chain away into the breast pocket on his suit jacket.

“Just ‘til the end of the night,” he muttered, and even though it was a broken statement, I knew what he meant. I just had to present myself as his acquaintance for dinner with his parents, and then we could go back to what we were two minutes ago.

Before I could stop myself, I pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, not caring if anyone saw. Not that anyone would, there was practically no one on the streets in this part of the alley. When I sat back on my heels, Malfoy smiled down at me, gesturing with his head further into the alley. It was dark behind him, and not because of an early sunset. There were very few candles or lanterns, dark shadows looming from the rooftops. I glanced to the right, my eyes skimming over a sign that read “Knockturn Alley.” 

“Stay close,” he ordered, taking a few steps back. Swallowing, I jogged to catch up with him, careful to make sure my dress didn’t fly upwards. I walked as close as I could, nearly latching onto his side. As we walked further into the alley, black cats began to scamper across the path in front of us, often chasing a rat or two. The stores shifted from warm and welcoming to cold and dreary, skulls adorning the windowsills.

I glanced up when Malfoy came to a stop outside a shop. Borgin and Burkes. Malfoy’s hand wrapped around the handle, pulling it open and letting me enter first. I was met with a mishmash of items, all looking older than Moses himself. Dust lingered on the top shelves, glass spheres reflecting the low amount of light in the shop. 

An array of skulls sat along the ground, all different sizes and shapes. They had to be from different species, there was no way they were all human. Jars filled with organisms that reminded me of Snape’s classroom littered the shelves, random teeth and eyes here and there.

“Wilkinson,” Malfoy muttered, snapping me out of my trance. I looked up at him with worried eyes, wondering why the hell we were here. He nodded towards the fireplace in the back corner, pulling a bag of Floo powder out of his pocket. It looked identical to the one Jack had taken last summer, so I figured it was okay.

I followed Malfoy to the fireplace, trying to ignore the variety of masks staring down at us from above. Doctors’ masks from the black plague sneered their large noses downward, other simpler masks merely tacked to the stone. A few hooks and chains hung from the ceiling to the right, and I prayed that they were only for fishing or whaling. 

“This place is creepy, Malfoy,” I whispered sharply, shooting him a small glare. If this shop was this eerie at five in the afternoon, I didn’t want to return later this evening. I hadn’t seen any sign of a store-owner yet, he or she must’ve been hiding in the back.

“Hold on a second,” he took a handful of the powder, pouring it into my outstretched hand. A bit slipped past, the grains fluttering to the dark wood of the floor. Malfoy and I stepped into the fireplace together, standing side by side. I held his hand in my free one, grasping tightly as Malfoy called out our destination.

“Malfoy Manor!” he said firmly, and the two of us threw the powder down synchronously. A bright green flashed behind my closed eyelids, indicating we had done it correctly. When I opened my eyes, Malfoy was already standing in the dining room of his house, brushing extra Floo powder off his suit as he waited for me to follow. 

I stepped out of the fireplace, careful not to track any charred grit onto the elaborate rug. Malfoy chuckled at me checking the bottom of my shoes, shaking his head as he told me not to worry. I brushed the excess powder off my hands into the fireplace, bending forward with my back to the rest of the dining room. 

Mr. Malfoy cleared his throat behind me, the sudden sound causing my spine to immediately straighten. However, I hadn’t stepped back yet, so the back of my head hit the underside of the shelf above the fireplace as I stood. 

Malfoy, who was standing behind his father, had a wince on his face the second I turned around. Rubbing the back of my head, I met Mr. Malfoy’s gaze.

“Miss Wilkinson, we’re so glad you could come.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, thank you all SO MUCH for your sweet comments holy shit :’) I’m really hoping to still update fairly regularly, I have so much planned for this fic and I don’t wanna just leave it where it is right now. I absolutely cannot wait for Thanksgiving/Christmas break so I can just write all day every day lolol
> 
> Also, I’ve had a few of you reach out to me through Wattpad messages, and I’m having an absolute blast talking to you all :) so if you ever wanna message me about anything, I’m more than willing to listen!!! I really wish ao3 had a messaging system, but it doesn’t >:( I’ve seen a couple readers come to Wattpad from ao3, so that’s always an option!! 
> 
> Also forty chapters in holy cow


	44. chapter forty-one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much for 15k hits!! i love each and every one of you :)

“Miss Wilkinson, we’re so glad you could come.”

Mr. Malfoy’s voice carried through the dining room, his hands resting over one another on the snake’s head of his cane. The pain had subsided on the back of my head, but a flush of embarrassment spread over my cheeks. I gave him a smile, nodding ever so slightly as I dropped my hand to my side.

“Thank you for inviting me. Your house is gorgeous,” I complimented, remembering what my parents had always told me. Admire the house, the garden, whatever you could. Be polite, but don’t suck up too much. Or brownnose, as my father would call it, much to my mother’s chagrin. My eyes darted to Malfoy, whose eyes were trained on the back of his father’s head. He looked worried, his eyebrows slightly furrowed together.

“Manor, Miss Wilkinson. It’s a manor,” his father corrected me, though his words were gentler than I had expected. The tinge of pink stayed on my cheeks, and I could feel it spreading over my nose. Annoyed with myself, I nodded again as I drew my bottom lip between my teeth. 

“Of course. My apologies,” I finally caught Malfoy’s eye, a brief sympathetic look washing over his face. His father raised his chin, looking down at me before he turned to his son.

“Dinner won’t be ready for another hour or so, you and Olive are free to do as you wish,” he muttered before he left the dining room, leaving Malfoy and I alone. Malfoy immediately crossed the dining room, a small smile on his lips as he inspected the top of my head. 

“No blood,” he laughed lightly, his hand reaching up and tussling my hair a bit. I rolled my eyes, shoving him away from me playfully. “Don’t think about his comment too much, he’s just a tad bit materialistic.”

His hand smoothed over my hair in a comforting fashion, his head slightly tilted to the left as he looked down at me. My eyes were fixed on the ground, my eyes tracing the intricate pattern on the rug that sat under the table. When I didn’t look up, Malfoy’s hand skimmed down the side of my face, the side of his forefinger hooking under my chin.

I let him tilt my head upwards to meet his gaze, my lips slightly parted. He looked so much more relaxed in the summer, no stress from academics. The wrinkle in between his eyebrows was washed away, his eyes twinkled a bright blue. He twisted his wrist so his fore and middle finger were barely touching my chin, his thumb sweeping over my bottom lip.

It was a rather intimate gesture, one that I prayed no one would walk in on. I was already embarrassed enough with hitting my head and referring to the manor as a house. Even if a house-elf scurried in under an order, I was planning to jump away from Malfoy’s gentle hold.

“Let’s go for a walk. You said you wanted to see the gardens, am I right?” he asked, his eyes skimming over my face. His thumb stilled on the corner of my mouth, the pads of his fingers both extremely cold and extremely soft. I nodded against his hand, our smiles soon matching one another’s. 

He stepped backwards, letting his hand fall to his side. Wrapping my jacket tighter around my torso, I followed him out of the dining room. The hallway he led me into had high ceilings, the darkness of the wood absorbing most of the light the candles gave off. An expensive-looking runner ran the length of the hallway, placed perfectly in the middle. 

Trying not to gawk at the paintings too obviously, I trailed behind Malfoy towards what I assumed was the center of the manor. He glanced over his shoulder a couple times, ensuring I was still behind him. As much as I fought it, my eyes skimmed over each painting, observing his ancestors. Some had white-blonde hair like he did, others dark black. Extremely contrasting, though I was internally glad he was blonde rather than a dark brunette. Fit him better, I supposed.

A large foyer lay before us, two identical staircases curving around to meet on an upper level of the manor. Catching up with Malfoy, the two of us walked alongside one another until he opened a French glass door, leading us to the back courtyard. The manor was rather empty on our walk, no signs of anyone else the entire way. 

“Straight out here,” Malfoy mumbled, closing the door behind us. I stood on the edge of the step, holding my hand against my forehead to shield against the late-afternoon summer sun. Mrs. Malfoy’s rose garden was in full bloom, some other sprouts popping their way through the soil. A fountain sat fifty yards away, placed in the direct middle of a circle of loose stones. A few benches sat around it, but they looked like they hadn’t been sat on in ages.

The water became louder as we approached, our shoes crunching over the small pebbles. The garden lay beyond the fountain, a metal trellis indicating the entrance. A low hedge ran around the perimeter, separating it from the well-trimmed grass. I hadn’t looked back yet, but the manor loomed over the back yard, the steep pitch of the roof stretching high into the sky. It was immaculately symmetrical along both axes, making the manor even more intimidating. So perfect on the outside, I doubted anything was awry on the inside.

“Quit gawking,” Malfoy teased, turning around so he walked backwards down the pebbled path. I rolled my eyes, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jacket. We continued walking facing one another, Malfoy’s feet backpedaling and perfectly steering him around the lip of the fountain. I was certain he walked this path many times, it was no surprise he was so familiar with it.

“Your family’s manor is very impressive,” I commented, a small smirk on my face.

“It’s just a house, Wilkinson,” he responded modestly, shrugging his shoulders. Once I caught up to him again, he spun on his heel and slipped his hands into his suit pants. At least he was more humble than his father, at least when we were alone. Once, in third-year, I had overheard him talking to Crabbe and Goyle at the house table, claiming the price of Niklaus was more than their familys’ worth combined. He had his moments.

“Just a house, my ass, Malfoy,” I mocked through a laugh, knocking my elbow against his. He stumbled to the right a few paces, but quickly righted himself. “It’s, like,” I paused to think. “Half of Hogwarts, I swear.”

He didn’t have a chance to respond. With a shit-eating grin on my face, I picked up my pace to skip under the trellis, letting myself into the garden. Malfoy came to a stop just outside, his lips slightly parted as he watched me start down one of the paths. Mrs. Malfoy, who I had yet to meet, had planted her roses in a particular order. Hues of red down one side, pinks on the other. Oranges and creams were opposite the garden. 

Neither of us saw his parents standing together, staring out one of the windows in one of the many living rooms. Malfoy and I were tiny in their eyes, the distance between us fairly far. After a few moments of watching me, Malfoy’s blonde head bobbed down the path, joining me inside the garden. We laughed at one another, though his parents had no idea what about.

“It seems he’s following orders,” Narcissa whispered, her eyes just barely squinting as she watched us.

“For once,” Lucius muttered, his hand holding back the curtain for the two of them. 

“Lucius,” Narcissa scolded him. The only woman in the world that would make Lucius think twice about his words. 

“We have an agreement, Narcissa,” he nearly hissed, letting the curtain fall shut. The room darkened, but not by much. “Whatever it takes to keep her safe, even if she doesn’t know it. In turn, it’s benefitting Draco.”

“Keep her away from the Simmons’, and now the Levski’s as well, given the events that occurred this year,” Lucius continued, a scoff of annoyance following his words. He knew it wasn’t his son’s fault, but he could’ve done more. He always could’ve done more.

Hell, Severus could’ve done more. Durmstrang’s presence at Hogwarts had kept the two men on edge, Snape watching over Olive so secretly she never knew. Draco had done his part, to divide Jack and Olive’s friendship the night of the Yule Ball. When Lucius had heard of the events following Hogsmeade, he had sent Draco a Howler, who immediately pocketed it in the Great Hall. He had planned to open it in his dormitory, away from the others. Given the amount of time he waited to open it, Draco was surprised the Gryffindor tower didn’t hear his father’s words.

Nothing had surprised Lucius more than seeing the Simmons boy in the graveyard, standing between his parents. Draco hadn’t sent a letter informing his parents about Ivan’s disqualification, but he was even more shocked that he hadn’t heard from Severus. Part of Lucius was surprised that he hadn’t heard through the ministry, especially with Karkaroff’s close ties. Though, Lucius supposed, he had been so skittish as to flee Hogwarts the night of the third task, and hadn’t been heard from since. Karkaroff was a weak link, one that the Dark Lord no longer needed.

But if he could spare Draco of the inevitable, he would. His train of thought was broken by his wife, speaking as she stared out the window.

“I just hope he doesn’t get hurt in the end.”

Malfoy’s laugh rang through the garden, his eyes crinkling near the outer corners. He was holding a slug by the tip of a stick, waving it near me as I tried to dart away. 

“I’ll ‘eat slugs’ you, I swear it, Malfoy!” I yelped out a frail threat as I rounded a corner, careful to not trample the ground-cover plants Mrs. Malfoy had planted. Malfoy chased me, the slug wrapping itself around the twig, holding on for dear life as Malfoy’s hand shook with each step.

A few moments later, Malfoy had let the slug back into the hedge, dropping the stick on the ground beside it. Slightly out of breath from the sudden excitement, I watched as he approached me. He nodded in the direction behind me, so I turned, my gaze landing on a wooden bench. It was different from the stone ones that circled the fountain, the wood worn only on one end. I supposed it could be wear from the sun, but part of me doubted it. 

I didn’t know it, but it was Malfoy’s spot. The place he liked to sit when he came to the garden. He often sat alone, as his father was busy with the Ministry, his mother tending to the indoor greenhouse in the off-seasons. One half of the bench was shaded by the weeping willow that stood just outside the hedge. It had been planted under his mother’s request years ago, half of her roses preferring more shade than sun.

I wasn’t sure on which end to sit, so I came to a stop a few feet away. Malfoy brushed past me, dropping down onto the warm end. The late summer nights still permitted the sun to be high in the sky, but it was already tucked behind the branches of the willow tree. 

Tentatively, I sat down on the worn end, crossing my right leg over my left. There were a few feet between Malfoy and I, and as much as I wanted to close it, I refrained. I wasn’t sure if his parents were watching, and I don’t think either of us wanted to rest against one another in plain view.

“It smells really good,” I noted as I looked to the roses, though it was Malfoy’s cologne that filled the air around us. 

“Yeah?” he smirked, letting me know he knew exactly what I was talking about. I rolled my eyes, an identical smirk resting on my face as a thought crossed my mind. 

“Yeah, Pansy’s just doesn’t smell as good,” I kept my eyes on a particular orange rose, but I heard Malfoy chuckle beside me. 

“Well, I’ve always liked roses better than pansies, anyways,” he continued the stupid play-on-our-words game, his arm resting along the back of the bench. His fingers just barely reached my arm, he could touch me if he leaned forward a millimeter.

“I’m glad.”

When I finally rolled my head to the left, he was already looking at me, the slightest hint of admiration in his eyes. His forefinger twitched, the tip of his finger brushing over the material of my jacket. The touch was incredibly light and soft, but a jolt shot down my arm. Much too soon, his finger rested along his others, though the warmth continued to radiate through my body.

“My father said Moody was actually Crouch’s son, the entire school year. Can you believe it?” Malfoy scoffed, swiftly changing the conversation. “I figured he was just a drunk, since he was constantly taking swigs out of that flask, but it was Polyjuice.”

I shook my head with him, agreeing in his bewilderment. Over the course of the year, Moody had always rubbed me the wrong way, especially with his lecture on the unforgivable curses in the beginning of the year.

“I can’t believe he’s back,” he muttered under his breath, more so to himself. Since we were somewhat on the subject, I decided to ask him about Death Eaters.

“Malfoy?” I questioned quietly, and his head immediately snapped over at the drop in my tone. “Do, uh - Are, well - Um,” Stuttering much more than I had anticipated, I groaned in frustration. Slouching down, I crossed my arms over my chest. I wasn’t sure why I couldn’t gather my thoughts.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, but it was patient and gently pleading me to continue. “Does each, um, Death Eater have a different mask? Or are they all identical?” My voice accidentally sped up towards the end, the questions just begging to be let out of my head. Malfoy straightened at my curiosity, bringing one ankle up to rest on his opposite knee. The length of his suit pants shortened a few centimeters, clearly tailored for his standing stature. 

“Why do you ask?” he responded slowly, his eyes sweeping over the roses before he turned back to me. I swallowed, stupidly not expecting him to answer my question with one of his own.

“Just curious,” I tried to play it off, but now Malfoy’s eyebrow arched in suspicion. 

“Wilkinson, when have you seen a Death Eater?” His back peeled from the bench, tilting his head just barely as he looked over at me. “Was it Simmons? Or one of the Levski’s?”

I shook my head, only earning myself an exasperated huff from Malfoy. Sighing, I gave in much quicker than I would’ve normally wanted. “One broke into my house last summer, it stupified my aunt the same day we returned from King’s Cross.”

Malfoy’s raised eyebrow lowered and furrowed into his other one, a look of confusion washing over his features. “You didn’t tell me?” I don’t think he had realized that we weren’t always as close as we were now.

“We barely talked then. And when we did, it was usually in a stupid fight,” I reminded him gently, a small smile curling my lips. His arm lifted from the back of the bench, his elbow resting in place as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He ignored my response, answering my original question.

“Well, my parents’ masks are different. So I assume the others are unique to them as well,” he thought out loud, his hand moving from his nose to rest along his jaw. “It’s like an identifier, I reckon.”

I nodded as I let my gaze drop to the ground. “Did he hurt you?” Malfoy continued suddenly, like he had almost forgotten what I had told him. 

Shaking my head, I saw Malfoy’s tense shoulders relax in the corner of my eye. “He just backed me into a corner, looked at me, and then just left,” I shrugged nonchalantly, as if to play off the encounter. Nightmares had laced my dreams for the rest of the summer, but I had never told anyone, including Aunt Beth.

“Hm,” he hummed, though he was interrupted by his mother’s voice.

“Draco, dear! You too, Olive! Dinner’s ready!” she called from where she was standing by one of the numerous back doors, her hands clasped delicately in front of her waist. She disappeared inside the house a moment later, leaving Malfoy and I alone again.

I followed Malfoy out of the garden, the two of us walking side by side as we approached the manor. When we entered through the doors, a house-elf had scampered in front of us. He skidded to a stop when he saw Malfoy, bowing his head downwards as a form of greeting. Malfoy didn’t say anything back, his eyes too busy peering down the hallway.

The house-elf continued on his way, his feet padding against the wood floor as he disappeared through a doorway. Still looking down towards the dining room, Malfoy’s hand slipped into mine. It was natural, our fingers interlocking with one another before he gave me a gentle squeeze. But, like how he had dropped his finger in the garden, he let go of my hand a moment too soon. It was like he was indirectly assuring me dinner would be fine, that I had nothing to worry about.

“I reckon they’re in the dining room already,” he murmured under his breath, his head swiveling so he could look down the other direction of the hallway. I heard him loud and clear, though, as the hallway was completely devoid of any other noises. It was like no one lived here, almost as if Malfoy and I had broken into an abandoned manor. 

The two of us walked to the dining room, the backs of our hands brushing as they swung in sync. When we entered, his father was already sitting at the head of the table, his wife on the other end. Two placemats were set for Malfoy and I, though they were placed opposite each other. I had seen his mother once or twice on the platform, when we were waiting for the Express to arrive. She was exceptionally beautiful, some of her features reflected in Malfoy’s. 

Under the watchful eye of his father, Malfoy crossed the distance from the entryway and pulled the chair from under the table. Standing behind it, his hands rested on the back, shooting me a glance to come sit. I slipped in front of him, tucking my dress underneath me as I sat.

“Thank you,” I said quietly, giving him a small smile as Malfoy rounded the table and sat across from me. Almost immediately, he extended his leg under the table, his foot brushing up against mine. His smallest gestures were the most reassuring, and it instantaneously calmed the nerves that had stirred up in my stomach at the sight of his parents. 

“It’s so nice to finally meet you, Olive,” his mother spoke, making my head snap to meet her gaze. She had a warm smile on her lips, her hair perfectly drawn away from her face. 

“You as well, Mrs. Malfoy,” I nodded politely, matching her smile. A small laugh left her mouth, shaking her head.

“Call me Narcissa, please.” 

I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the bombardment of questions I was anticipating to answer over the course of the dinner. The house-elves filed into the dining room, one rather important-looking elf leading the group. He must’ve been the one who filled the spot of the elf Malfoy accidentally set free all those years ago. I assumed the Malfoys had learned from their son’s mistake, nearly ten elves were setting the table instead of the sole one Malfoy had mentioned. The four of us were quiet while the clattering of utensils and platters and the gluging of beverages being poured filled the air. I didn’t dare speak again until Mr. Malfoy did.

A few minutes later, the house-elves had retreated from the dining room, going back to their posts in the kitchen. The food was similar to what Hogwarts served, a couple plump roasted chickens sitting on two different silver platters. An array of side dishes were scattered around, serving spoons and forks already placed in the bowls. My goblet was filled with cranberry juice, which was much to my relief when I saw it wasn’t pumpkin juice or wine. I wasn’t quite sure how I would’ve approached underaged drinking with his parents. 

It was odd, noticing how Mr. Malfoy didn’t make a big announcement before we ate, like Mr. Levski had. He began to simply fill his plate, and once Narcissa and Malfoy did the same, I followed suit. I snuck a quick glance at Malfoy through my eyelashes, keeping my head bent as I spooned some roasted carrots from the serving bowl. Dishes and platters were passed around, Mr. Malfoy and his wife falling into a jovial conversation I knew nothing about. 

Malfoy never once moved his foot from mine, my bare ankle brushing up against the material of his suit. I had felt his leg move every once in a while, causing me to look up, but it was always because he was reaching for something on the table. 

I was asked questions about what I thought of professors, my other friends in the house, what I wanted to do once I graduated. Mr. Malfoy had far more questions than Narcissa, though his always having something to do with my future. She, on the other hand, asked if I had any pets, any siblings, my favorite subject at Hogwarts. Questions about who I was currently. 

“Draco tells me you transferred into Hogwarts before your third-year, is that correct? Where were you before? Beauxbatons, I presume?” Malfoy’s father severed the conversation I was having with Narcissa about Athena, looking at me as he cut his chicken. 

“That’s right, sir,” I nodded, resting my wrists on the edge of the table. “Though I was at a Muggle school before, my parents had decided to start me there instead.” I nearly winced at the words, knowing he would look down on Muggle school. And I mentally punched myself in the face when I mentioned my parents, accidentally opening a new conversation that I hadn’t meant to.

As I suspected, Mr. Malfoy stiffened at the mention of a Muggle education, his mouth pressing together in a firm line. My eyes darted to Malfoy without turning my head, but he was focused on his dinner. It was like a repeat of the dinner at the Levski’s.

“I see. And your parents, are they a part of the wizarding world?” he continued, his knife stilling as he waited for my answer. I knew that it was the most polite way to ask about my blood that he could muster. My parents had never spoken much on blood status, but I knew they both were purebloods. Whereas my mother’s magical line started only six generations ago, my father had come from a long line of witches and wizards.

Nodding, I swallowed the lump in my throat before I spoke. “Yes, my mother went to Hogwarts, my father to Durmstrang. Similar story for my grandparents, and those before them.”

Frowning in what I could only assume was surprise, Mr. Malfoy nodded his head once, his gaze falling on his wife. I couldn’t see it, but she stared back at him with a warning look in her eyes. “Then why would they keep their daughter in a Muggle school? A waste of a pureblood, if I may offer my opinion,” he pressed further, and I wished my hands were under the table so I could clench them as tight as I could. Not wanting to bring any more attention to myself, I simply gripped the handles of my utensils a bit harder. 

“Lucius,” Narcissa whispered in a hiss, like she was embarrassed of his actions. He brushed her off though, stiffly turning his neck to meet my gaze again. Malfoy had stiffened across from me, but he never lifted his head. I knew he wasn’t going to help me, I was on my own.

“You could ask them, but at least leave a flower on their graves,” I said as nicely as I could, a smile plastered to my face. I wasn’t sure where this blatant confidence was coming from, especially in his presence. Malfoy coughed, clearly hiding a snicker as he brought his hand to his mouth. Mr. Malfoy’s gaze shot to his son, a scowl forming on his lips. The second the words left my mouth, I had heard Narcissa gasp from my left, but I ignored it.

“I suppose we’ll never know then, will we?” he said slowly, his chin raising in the air. I matched it, trying my hardest to stare at him with the same intensity.

“I am so sorry to hear that, Olive,” Narcissa said, diffusing the tension that hung in the dining room. I tore my gaze from her husband, seeing her hand laying palm-up on the table. Reaching out with a small smile, I placed my hand in hers. She gave me a squeeze, pure empathy in her eyes.

Dinner was silent for a few minutes, Malfoy occasionally swiveling his foot on his heel to remind me he was still there. The food was delicious, just as I had expected it to be. Seeming to have recollected himself, Mr. Malfoy began asking Malfoy and I about school, if we were worried about the O.W.L.’s this upcoming year.

“Wilkinson’s wickedly smart in Potions,” Malfoy piped up, gesturing to me with a forkful of green beans. I chuckled at the compliment, shaking my head. 

“He tutored me in our third-year. You’ve got quite the smart son, Narcissa,” I turned to her, a genuine smile on my face. I didn’t care to turn to Mr. Malfoy. She matched it a second later, looking from me to Malfoy. I think the two of us decided to leave out the failed potion, the one that had splattered all over Snape’s classroom. Malfoy shied away at my compliment, pushing around the leftover vegetables on his plate. 

“I do hope that didn’t take away time from your studies, Draco,” his father voiced his opinion, immediately putting a damper on the mood of the dining room once more. Over the past fifteen minutes, it had lightened from the small talk about school.

“Of course not, father,” Malfoy shook his head. I heard a small sigh leave Narcissa’s mouth, the sound of her utensils resting against the plate moments later. I was getting better at saying the right thing around Malfoy, now it was just a matter of doing so around his family.

“Excuse me, please. Narcissa, where can I find the nearest restroom?” I asked quietly, leaning towards her. She directed me, using her finger to point each turn I had to take. I slipped out from the chair, placing my cloth napkin beside my plate as I stood. Leaving the three of them behind, I let myself into the hallway. I could hear a faint conversation, though I’m sure it was about something that didn’t concern me in the slightest. 

“Up the stairs, take a left,” I muttered to myself, looking up and down the hallway to orient myself. Traveling back the way I came with Malfoy, I approached the grand staircases within a few moments. A huge chandelier sparkled over the foyer, the two staircases wrapping around it. The front door was large as well, looking out to the manor’s entrance.

My feet climbed the staircase quickly, my hand skimming over the wooden railing. It was a dark wood, like most in the house, and extremely well-taken care of. It gleamed under the candles’ light, the surface almost buttery to the touch. The top of the staircase let me out into another hallway, one that sat perfectly above the one on the ground floor. Repeating Narcissa’s instructions in my head, I started to the left. More paintings and portraits lined the walls, the sharp features of the Malfoy family ancestors glaring down at me. They didn’t move, though, like the ones in Hogwarts did.

I passed by a few rooms, most looking like either guest bedrooms or small storage closets. Glancing into an open doorway, I saw a large desk resting against the wall, rolls of parchment stacked neatly on the left half. It must’ve been Mr. Malfoy’s study.

Continuing further down the hallway, I eventually came to the restroom. I wasn’t quite sure why Narcissa had directed me to the second floor, but I suppose she knew the manor better than I did. I slipped through the doorway, closing the door behind me. For a restroom, the ceilings were quite high, and a stained-glass window looked out into the back courtyard. Another chandelier hung from the ceiling, providing light to the restroom. 

I didn’t do anything other than look at myself in the mirror, trying to recollect myself. Things weren’t going the best with his father, but I supposed they never had, really. In the times I had met him before, there had been a tightness in the air between us, one that we both recognized but refused to do away with. Even when I caught his gaze on the platform that one day, it was cold and hard.

My cheeks were slightly flushed, most likely because of the embarrassment I had constantly felt since I sat down at the table. I wasn’t sure what Mr. Malfoy wanted from me, but I knew I wasn’t enough. Had it been just Narcissa and Malfoy, I’d like to imagine that the three of us would’ve been laughing downstairs, telling stories long into the night.

A few moments later, I let myself out of the restroom, making sure everything was as it was before I entered. The hand towel perfectly hung, the counter dry of any water droplets. My attention was caught once more by his father’s study when I passed. Probably against my better judgment, I slowed to a stop. My eyes swept over the staircase, listening intently for a sign of anybody. But there was none, so I poked my head into the study.

It was quite impressive, the dark wood matching the tone of the rest of the manor. Large, floor-to-ceiling bookcases lined the back wall, an array of literature spreading over the shelves. A few artifacts, like skulls or other marble sculptures, were placed to break up the books. Had I been paying closer attention, I would’ve noticed the skulls were similar to those in Borgin and Burkes. I didn’t dare step foot inside, so I stayed in the doorway, one hand bracing myself against the frame. 

My eyes skimmed over the room. Everything was so well-placed, well-designed. The chair was perfectly tucked under the desk, facing straight forward. Quills were laying parallel to one another beside the parchment, the white feathers matching the one I had in my nightstand.

Before I could help myself, my gaze landed on a mounted glass case, hung in alignment with Mr. Malfoy’s desk. I couldn’t see inside though, given the angle I was looking at it from. The sun was just low enough in the sky to peek through the window, casting a sharp glare across the glass. 

Too interested to ignore it, I took a few steps into the study as I craned my neck to see what was behind the glass. I gasped when I finally saw.

It was Mr. Malfoy’s Death Eater mask, the empty eyes staring soullessly into the room. The design was intricate, as all Death Eater masks were. Specific black and silver markings would indicate that it was him behind the mask to any other follower. The chin held a silver design similar to a fleur-de-lis, though it wasn’t exact. Three rectangles allowed him to breathe when he was hidden beneath, black circles around the holes for his eyes. 

In each nightmare I had following the break-in at my house, the same Death Eater mask had floated behind my eyelids. The same design, the same human eyes behind it. I didn’t think that I had memorized it in the moment, when my back was pressed against the wall, but I had somehow.

But Mr. Malfoy’s was different. He had rectangles over his mouth, whereas the other mask was a mere slit. There was no fleur-de-lis on the intruder’s, a straight arrowhead sat over his chin. The mask was much simpler than Mr. Malfoy’s, almost as if it was worn by someone immature, younger.

I nearly breathed a sigh of relief when I made the connection, but I was interrupted.

“Curious little thing, aren’t you?”

Mr. Malfoy’s voice made me jump, quickly swiveling on my heel as I turned to face him. My lips parted as I tried to think of an excuse, but he didn’t give me the chance to explain myself. He stared at me intently, his eyes slightly narrowed as he looked from me to his mask. 

“Narcissa sent me to find you, dessert is ready,” he said simply, surprising me. I wasn’t sure why Malfoy hadn’t been sent, but I didn’t dare ask. So I followed Mr. Malfoy into the hallway, my head bent in shame. I had only been a few paces into his study, but I understood that it was a few paces more than I should’ve taken.

I trailed Mr. Malfoy into the dining room, the other two already sitting. Malfoy glanced up when he saw us return, his eyes darting between his father and I. I shook my head just barely, hoping his parents wouldn’t notice as I sat down. He seemed to visibly relax, his shoulders slumping down a few centimeters.

Dessert was a chocolate cake, one that Malfoy seemed to love. By the time his parents and I had finished one slice, Malfoy was nearing the end of his second. The elves came when called, clearing the table of any plates and cutlery. It was closing in on eight in the evening, the past few hours flying by. 

When Mr. Malfoy stood, the rest of us did the same. Malfoy quickly rounded the table, coming to stand by my side. I took the silent cue that it was time to leave, so I clasped my hands in front of me before I thanked the Malfoys.

“Thank you for having me, it was lovely,” I said politely, looking from Narcissa to Mr. Malfoy. She drew me in for a hug, her hands rubbing over my back for a quick moment before she pulled away.

“Anytime, dear. You’re always welcome,” she reaffirmed, giving me a warm smile. Mr. Malfoy simply nodded, his hands resting on the back of his dining chair. There was a coldness behind his eyes, staring back at me until Malfoy caught my attention.

“I’ll take you back,” he hummed, taking a few steps toward the hallway. I followed him, ignoring Mr. Malfoy’s lingering gaze as we left. 

“Never took you to be that much of a chocolate cake fanatic,” I teased once we were far enough away, further down the hallway. He must’ve been leading me towards a different fireplace, as the elves had begun to clean the little mess that we had left behind in the dining room. Small crumbs, crinkled napkins, that sort of thing.

“It’s good, you git,” he joked back, looking over at me as we walked alongside one another. I laughed, the noise echoing through the hallway. I don’t think he knew the effect he had on me, how he could drown the butterflies in my stomach with a single word. 

Malfoy led me into a living room of sorts, the tall ceiling stretching two stories worth. Skinny windows looked into the back garden, and I saw a few peacocks pecking by. It was similar to the Slytherin common room, black leather couches circling around a central coffee table. The brick of the chimney crawled high along the far wall, towering over us until it eventually poked out of the roofline. 

The fireplace was much bigger than the one in the dining room, which made me think Malfoy had accidentally taken us to the wrong one earlier. It was easier to stand in this one, though Malfoy might have to slouch given his height. 

“Here,” he muttered, pouring a bit of the Floo powder into my outstretched hand. I tried my hardest to keep it within my palm, but a few grains fluttered down to the wood floor, the paleness of the powder a sharp contrast. He grasped my hand when we were both within the fireplace, to ensure we would travel through the network together.

He ushered me out of Knockturn Alley quickly, the two of us letting out onto the happier streets of Diagon Alley. A few families walked past, though it was getting late in the evening. Malfoy never once left my side as we walked through the Leaky Cauldron.

“Here,” he said, reaching into his chest pocket. He retrieved the chain, though his nimble fingers were already fidgeting with the clasp. Motioning for me to turn around, I did so, gathering my hair over one shoulder. Though the chain was dainty and thin, I eyed it as he placed it over my neck, double-checking he closed the clasp properly with a gentle tug. 

I turned around, looking up at him. “I had a good time tonight.” 

It was a true statement, but Malfoy didn’t believe it. Scoffing, he shook his head as his eyes did a sweep of the road. “My father was being himself, you couldn’t have had that much fun.”

Reaching up, I placed my hand on his shoulder to silently call his attention back to me. At the gesture, he did exactly what I expected, bringing his gaze down to meet mine. “I got to see you, that’s all that matters.”

A grin washed over his face, causing one to form on my lips as well. Before I could stop myself, I leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, my hand cupping the back of his neck. Both our eyes closed, a gentle sigh leaving him when I eventually pulled away.

“I’ll see you soon,” I promised, stepping backwards. He watched me raise my wand arm into the air, a lazy smirk on his face. The Knight Bus appeared no more than five seconds later, screeching to a stop next to the curb. Malfoy had insisted he walk me home after we left Borgin and Burkes, but I had assured him I would be fine. Aunt Beth was under the impression that I had met with Katie, and I wanted to keep it that way.

“See you,” he agreed, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants as I gave him one last smile before climbing the stairs of the bus. Before I got the chance to sit, the bus rushed off, leaving Malfoy behind. He stayed until I was out of sight, and even a few moments afterwards, staring in the direction the bus had taken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg starbucks christmas drinks are coming tomorrow, that’s all I care about right now PEPPERMINT MOCHA TIME BABY
> 
> Also please, if you have any fred fics to recommend, please drop them in the comments, I’m looking for something good to read hahahah
> 
> I don’t really have a lot to say for this chapter, so please tell me how your day has been!! I’m behind on replying to comments, but I’m hoping to catch up later tonight :)


	45. chapter forty-two

As hard as I tried, I could not wipe the smile off my face the entire bus ride home. Even with the constant jerking and sudden turns, it never wavered as I tried to keep an even gaze on the passing houses outside.

Thirty minutes later, I was dumped in front of my house. Thanking Ernie, I skipped down the steps and came to a stop at the end of my driveway. The instant I was out, the doors were swung shut and the bus tore off at an alarming speed. 

The lights upstairs were on, and the living room facing the front of the house was illuminated as well. Still feeling as giddy as ever, I bounded to the front door and let myself in. Aunt Beth was hunched over, her hands grasping the back of the couch tightly. Her breathing was labored, her eyes squeezed shut as she rocked herself back and forth.

She didn’t turn at the sound of the lock clicking, but I brushed it off. Given the intensity of her breathing, maybe she hadn’t heard.

“You okay, Aunt Beth?” I asked as I shrugged off my jacket, hanging it on an empty peg by the front door. She lifted her head at my voice, looking over. Her body didn’t move though, still fully supporting herself with the couch. 

She nodded, blinking rather hard a few times. Her face looked fine, just slightly flushed red. Her body, however, looked tired and worn out, like every movement of each joint ached. “Yeah,” she swallowed thickly, bobbing her head a few more times. “Just got too drunk with the girls.”

I frowned, though I didn’t question it. She had told me it was one of her friend’s birthdays, so I had assumed alcohol would be part of the equation. 

“Well, get some sleep,” I joked, acting as if I was the adult in the situation. She laughed, but it was cut short when she winced. Her left hand retreated from the couch, cupping her ribcage. She stood slowly, her face contorted in pain as she looked at me.

“Don’t you worry about me, Olive. Go on up, I’ll be there in a few,” she nodded towards the stairs, and I obediently listened. As I was climbing the steps, I overheard her mutter to herself. “I’m too old for this shit.”

Chuckling to myself, I let myself into my bedroom, immediately slipping out of the dress and into my pajamas. A warm summer breeze was wafting through the room from the open window, my light curtains gently waving. I could hear Athena and the others hooting from the backyard, no doubt drawing the attention from the wild owls in the area. 

Sleep came quickly, one hand clasping Malfoy’s ring as I slipped into unconsciousness. 

\---

In August, Aunt Beth had announced that the Ministry was sending her to Germany for an extended work trip. Although I had asked what about, she brushed it off, telling me it was much too boring for an explanation. Her travels for work were common given her position, but they tended to only occur when I was away at Hogwarts. This would be the first in the three summers we lived together, and I didn’t want to stay behind by myself. I considered asking Malfoy, but I didn’t want to intrude on his family, especially since the dinner didn’t go the greatest with his father.

Letters had picked up between my friends and I. Katie had sent numerous, some gushing about Blaise, and others asking about my summer. Jack had even sent a few, telling me his burn had healed. In his words, he had a “wicked cool” scar from it. Pansy had sent only one owl, asking about decorations for the dormitory in the coming year. Her, Katie, and I had requested to live together again, and Pansy was determined to make the dormitory happy and bright to contrast the heaviness of the courseloads in each class. I was already dreading potions, Snape had rounded off fourth-year with a large summer homework assignment that was due on his desk the first day of classes. I hadn’t started it yet, but Malfoy had proposed that we do it the night we return to Hogwarts.

I had continued to talk with Malfoy, though we took turns in using owls. His father had agreed to buying him a new owl before the school year, and Malfoy had asked me for name suggestions. I had proposed the name of the elf he set free, to which I doubt Malfoy entertained, much less laughed at. 

He had fed Athena a few of the amphibian treats, and I hoped she hadn’t gotten too attached to them. They were fairly expensive, so she got excited whenever I muttered his name as I was tying the letter to her leg. After a few flights to the manor, she had come to remember him as the boy with the special treats.

Ginny and I had sent a few owls back and forth, mostly talking about the upcoming school year and her telling stories about the pranks her brothers had done so far this summer. When I told her of Aunt Beth’s trip, she had invited me to the burrow for the two weeks. Her father had a flying car, one that had broken the famous Potter out of his aunt and uncle’s house years ago.

So, basically, I couldn’t say no to that experience.

Four owls later, it had been settled; Fred, George, and Ginny would pick me up the night before Aunt Beth’s departure. I suppose it was odd, that I was closer to the three of them than I was the brother in my own year. Ron and I had been in the same classes before, but we rarely spoke. 

Aunt Beth had worked with Mr. Weasley at the Ministry in the past, though she never knew him well either. She helped me pack, though, excited that I was making friends outside my house. It might’ve been a bit biased, as she had been a Gryffindor herself. That afternoon, her and I had baked chocolate chip cookies, stacking them nicely in a box as a form of gratitude for Mrs. Weasley.

Sometimes, it had been hard to understand how my mother and Aunt Beth were sisters. They looked similar, like most sisters do, but their personalities were so drastically different. My mother was calculative, reserved and fairly quiet, though she was incredibly loving and funny when she let herself out of her shell. Aunt Beth had always been entertaining and excitable, her stories reflecting her characteristics like a mirror. 

My parents had met through my aunt, as my father worked at the ministry, though in a different department. A striking, attractive young man, my aunt found it necessary to introduce the two. It only took two more years for her to have a niece.

My mother always worked as a school teacher, taking a closer liking to Muggles than she did witches and wizards. Soon after he met her, my father abandoned his position in the Ministry, taking up a job at the local bank. When they married, and quite fast as Aunt Beth put it, she decided to step away from the ministry. Seeing as her sister had grown up so much in such a short amount of time, Aunt Beth traveled the world, creating her own stories that she could tell me, and possibly her own children in the future.

Aunt Beth was quite a few years younger than my mother, nearly seven to the day. Joint birthday parties between the two were constantly held as I grew up, and Aunt Beth continued to freelance work in the Muggle world. It wasn’t until she became my legal guardian that she had decided, much to her dismay, to settle back down and find a stable job at the Ministry.

At first, Aunt Beth had worked under, who she called, a rather bitchy lady named Dolores Umbridge in the Improper Use of Magic office. The two mixed like oil and water, often disagreeing on extremely trivial things, like the color of the parchment used in the office. “It was this awful pink color!” Aunt Beth would exclaim to me as she ranted, letting out an exasperated huff. 

A few short months later, Aunt Beth had been moved to Arthur Weasley’s office, though the two barely encountered each other. She remained there for another couple months, until she found an opening in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. She was immediately swept up, given her experiences in her earlier travels, and hence, they reason she was leaving for Germany tomorrow morning.

Ginny had written that the three would arrive just shy of midnight. Since the car was flying, we needed the least amount of daylight we could get. They would approach as a normal car, though, as to not spook my neighbors. Honestly, the thought of Fred behind the wheel was more terrifying to me.

Even if I wanted to sleep, the excitement in my stomach would’ve kept me from it. Aunt Beth and I had settled on watching movies until the Weasleys arrived, my bag already by the front door. Two weeks wasn’t long enough to require my entire trunk, and I didn’t want to be more of a burden than I already felt. Ginny had assured me that the entire family was looking forward to having a visitor.

Ten minutes to midnight, the living room was briefly illuminated as a car’s headlights swept through the window. The low rumbling of an engine was cut to a stop, the lights switched off a second later. Three doors opened and shut in succession, and I could hear the twins before I saw them.

“What do you mean? That was a bloody good parking job!” I could hear Fred’s voice ring through the night air, George scoffing loudly a minute later.

The car was parked diagonally in my driveway, one wheel just on the edge of the yard.

Aunt Beth retreated into the kitchen to retrieve the box of cookies, leaving me to open the front door by myself. Just before Fred raised his fist to knock, I swung the door open, revealing their three smiling faces. 

“Olive!” Ginny exclaimed, and I quickly gathered her in a hug. Aunt Beth approached, smiling wide as she handed the box to Fred. 

“All these for me? What a kind-hearted woman you are,” he joked, popping the top open and immediately biting into one. Aunt Beth laughed, telling him to say hello to his father for her. George fought Fred for a cookie, the two bickering about whether or not they were all Fred’s. Ginny helped me gather my things, slinging my duffel bag over her shoulder. She had told me to bring my broomstick, as the siblings liked to host pick-up games in their yard when the weather was favorable. 

I said my goodbyes to Aunt Beth, wishing her a safe travel to Germany. One of her witch friends was taking care of the owls, but Ginny said I could use one of theirs if need be.

Five minutes later, Fred was backing out of the driveway, his arm thrown over the back of George’s seat as he peered through the back window. George was still munching on the cookies, mumbling something about them being better than his mother’s. 

Ginny and I sat in the backseat, the two of us nearly sitting cross-legged on the seat as we gossiped about our summer.

“Krum keeps sending Hermione letters, can you believe it?” she gushed, her eyes wide. Jack had kept me from the Durmstrang boys all year, though they never really made an effort to talk to me anyways. Except Ivan, of course.

“‘Mione’s gonna marry a professional Quidditch player! And a Seeker, at that!” George chimed in from the front seat, twisting around so he could look at us. His right hand was holding yet another cookie, a few bites already taken out of it. 

“We better get seats to all the matches,” Fred laughed, glancing at us in the rear-view mirror. He hadn’t taken the car into the sky yet as we were still driving through the backroads of my town. It wasn’t until we reached the outskirts that we could turn on the invisibility switch and Fred could take us high into the sky.

“Ron’s real upset about it, but he won’t tell anyone,” Ginny rolled her eyes, reaching around George to steal a couple cookies. I raised an eyebrow, shaking my head when George offered me the box. 

“He is?” I giggled, looking from Ginny to George.

“He got all whiny when Krum asked her to the ball, it was really funny,” George laughed, Fred joining him seconds later. The two had gone with other Gryffindors in their year, George with Alicia and Fred with Angelina. I had seen Ginny at the first dance, as her and Longbottom were the first two to follow the professors.

“We saw you get close with Simmons,” Ginny teased, shooting me a playful wink. My stomach dropped at his name, but I kept the smile steady on my face. The night of the Yule Ball was my last night before everything started to crumble, but I couldn’t expect them to know.

“Oh, that’s complete rubbish! Malfoy bought Miss Olive a valentine last February,” Fred chuckled, finally pulling off the road and into a flat, empty field. He turned the lights off and flipped the invisibility switch, but he kept the car running as he turned around. Ginny’s mouth was open, and George was still eating cookies in the front seat, completely absorbed with the task.

“He what?” she turned from Fred to me, her eyes widening even more than they had before. I didn’t mean to, but I became flustered under her expecting stare. Potter and Malfoy’s constant rivalry was quite well-known around the school, and it would be stupid of me to not assume Ron was involved in it as well.

“Fred,” I scoffed, glancing back at him. He shrugged, seemingly not caring that he had said what he did.

“What? You, me, and George all knew anyways. And who’s Ginny gonna tell?” Fred teased his sister, earning him a punch on the upper arm. He must’ve taken a hint, as he turned around and prepared the car.

“Are you and Malfoy, like, a thing?” she whispered, and her tone dropped to a curious one. She wasn’t mad, or disappointed. Rather, it seemed like she was intrigued. 

I bit down on my bottom lip, averting my gaze. Fred had started to levitate the car, the four of us now hovering above the ground as he raised us into the sky. I shook my head, finally looking back to her. Her eyes narrowed, like she didn’t believe me. But she dropped it.

Malfoy had relentlessly taunted her family for years, constantly poking fun at their financial situation and always placing himself above them. So, even though I had never really answered her question, I hoped Ginny didn’t think of me any different. 

Once Fred got us to a proper flying altitude, we started the journey to the Burrow. I lived much closer than I thought I did, the travel only taking a little less than an hour. The ride was filled with more jokes, stories, and laughter. Much to my dismay, the box of cookies had been completely devoured by the twins before we rolled down the dirt path. So much for giving them to Mrs. Weasley.

No one was awake when we entered, Ginny carrying my broomstick for me. I was to sleep in her bedroom with her, as she had her own room being the only daughter in the family. The house was incredibly endearing, and it reminded me of my mother. Small family trinkets and picture frames were scattered anywhere they could be set, a near reflection of how my mother used to keep the house. Many of the pictures were of me as a young child, my mother and father had always joked that I was the cutest back then. A few pans were washing themselves in the sink, under the spell that Aunt Beth was trying to teach me outside of school. 

The twins said goodnight, Fred playfully tousling my hair as he passed on his way to the staircase. Ginny and I followed them, me readjusting my grip on my bag as we climbed the steps. They ducked off down the right hallway, and Ginny led me up one more flight of stairs. I could hear snoring as we passed bedroom after bedroom, Ginny whispering who slept in each one. 

Her room was next to Ron’s, and his snores could be heard through the wall. Ginny had already set up a sleeping bag, taking a pillow from her bed and placing it on the floor for me. The two of us were exhausted from the late night, though we stayed up talking until we fell asleep and the conversation died.

The next morning, Ginny had accidentally woken me by tripping over my feet. Rubbing my eyes, I lifted my head from my pillow. 

“Sorry,” she whispered, pulling a Gryffindor jumper over her head. “I’m not used to having people sleep in my room.” The room was fairly small, but it was definitely cozy and very Ginny. Quidditch posters littered the walls, textbooks stacked haphazardly in the corner. I was jealous of her only being a fourth year, she still had another year to push off O.W.L.’s.

I joined Ginny in skipping down the stairs, wearing a simple sweater. It was probably best to refrain from wearing anything Slytherin-colored, since I was staying in a house full of Gryffindors. I wasn’t sure if Ginny had told her parents, but I didn’t want to chance anything on my first morning.

“And you must be Olive!” Mrs. Weasley clapped her hands together when she saw the two of us approaching, immediately crossing the kitchen. The pans continued to work behind her, Fred and George mixing up pancake batter while Ron manned the stovetop. 

She took me in for a warm hug, squeezing me tightly as she rubbed my back for a moment. When I had hugged Narcissa, it was more formal, and not as motherly as Mrs. Weasley.

“Thank you for letting me stay while my aunt is out of town, Mrs. Weasley,” I thanked her, beaming brightly at her. Although it wasn’t how I had intended to do it, I had told Ginny about my parents through a letter. Mostly because I had accidentally slipped and mentioned that I was living with my aunt. By the time I had realized, Athena was already halfway to the Burrow. 

“Of course, dear. Any friend of Ginny’s is a friend of the Weasley family!” she exclaimed, her hands coming to rest on my cheeks. Mrs. Weasley gave me a gentle pat before she turned on her heel, attending to her boys.

“Ron! Are you trying to burn the house down?” she scolded, holding her hand above the heated pan. “Or do you want charred black pancakes, is that it?” Ron blushed sheepishly, muttering an apology as he lowered the gas. Fred and George laughed beside him, the sound in complete unison. Mr. Weasley had already left for the Ministry, and the Ginny’s other brothers didn’t live at home anymore. 

Ginny and I set to peeling oranges and cutting bananas, huddled together at the end of the kitchen table. Thirty minutes later, Ron and the twins had a rather tall stack of pancakes at the ready, and Mrs. Weasley had conjured six plates for us. I sat with the siblings, Mrs. Weasley ushering us to eat before the food went cold.

“Miss Olive,” Fred addressed me with the silly nickname. “I hope you’ll be happy to hear that Weasley’s Walentines has now expanded into Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes!” 

Ginny rolled her eyes at the introduction, ignoring Fred as she began to cut her pancakes. Mrs. Weasley was still bustling around the kitchen, draping the kitchen towel over the stove door’s handle and wiping the counters clean. Ron snickered under his breath, holding his glass of orange juice above the table.

“What’s that include?” I questioned before I shoved a forkful of pancake into my mouth. Fred and George started to explain their business idea, the two bouncing off one another as they went through each preliminary product. It sounded like something the two would greatly succeed in, given the pranks they liked to pull around school. The valentines was their first venture into making money, and from the collective excitement from the students I had seen over the past two years, they were starting out on the right foot.

The next couple moments were filled with the twins’ childish bantering, going back and forth about future products and prices. Ron tried to pitch his opinion every once in a while, but the twins were too engrossed in their argument to listen. Ginny did, though, offering Ron an ear as she finished her fruit. 

Mrs. Weasley came to join us a few minutes later, finally done with cleaning the kitchen. She asked me about my family, what I thought of Hogwarts, about Athena.

“What house are you in, dear?” she asked, though she was focused on cutting her pancake. I guess Ginny hadn’t told her, and I was glad I hadn’t announced it earlier through a sweater the second I stepped off the bottom stair.

“Slytherin,” I answered, giving her a small smile. She didn’t flinch at all, her smile matching mine. 

“You know, I went to school with your mother. She was a year younger than me, but my, was that girl smart,” she chuckled, gently shaking her head as she pierced the rest of her banana with her fork. I felt my heart swell at the mention of my mother, and Ginny leaned forward as well. The boys had already left, the three of them dumping their plates in the sink before heading outside. “All the boys had crushes on her, she ruled her year without even knowing it.”

There were times where I had wished that my parents hadn’t hid magic from me, that they hadn’t kept me in Muggle school. I was never sure why they decided to transfer me to Hogwarts for my third year, it was a sudden decision that they sprung on me one summer morning. It seemed rushed and impulsive, though I never thought much of it. My father had claimed it would be beneficial for me to learn how to become a witch, to learn everything that they had kept from me for years.

I never truly understood their decision, and now, I’d never know why.

“One of the finest Ravenclaws Hogwarts has ever produced,” Mrs. Weasley continued, the wrinkles around her eyes becoming more apparent as she smiled even larger. My breath hitched in my throat, to which she picked up on immediately. Ever since she had died, my mother became this distant person that nobody around me really knew, besides my aunt. But even she, at times, referred to my late mother as just that. A mother who was taken from the world too soon, who had far too much life to live. Aunt Beth always focused on my mother’s future, all the things that she missed out on, rather than who she already was. 

It was a maternal instinct, Mrs. Weasley pulling me into her side. Her arm wrapped around my protectively, like I was one of her own as it rubbed up and down. Ginny gave me a sympathetic smile, leaning into her mother’s other shoulder. 

“I guess I have another name to add to my Christmas sweater list, now don’t I?” Mrs. Weasley said, a perfect question to lighten the mood. I laughed, sniffling as I raised my head from her shoulder. Her eyes were twinkling, her two hands coming to squeeze my cheeks once more.

“Alright, you two go join the boys. It seems like they’re picking up another Quidditch match,” she started to stack our plates, and with a swish of her wand, it hovered through the air to rest alongside the sink. “And Ginny, you tell them that if they send a bludger through the window again, they won’t be seeing tomorrow.”

Ginny and I laughed at the threat, but the look on Mrs. Weasley’s face told us she was being completely serious. We bounded upstairs, getting dressed into shorts and t-shirts, the summer weather already warming the air outside. Five minutes later, the two of us were out the door, clutching our broomsticks as we approached the boys. 

We couldn’t have a real scrimmage, given the five players we had. So, Ginny and I picked Ron to play alongside us, while the twins formed a natural duo. For the first hour, I was still getting used to the broom while Ginny flew beside me, giving me tips and tricks as we circled the Burrow. I hadn’t flown much since I went with her at Hogwarts, so I was a bit rusty. 

Bludgers were out of the question, the boys too scared to accidentally send one through the window again. I was glad, though, I didn’t feel like getting knocked off my broom. When Jack had run into me, it was more painful than I had expected, and I couldn’t imagine getting hit by a pure iron ball. 

Ginny took a quaffle for the two of us, letting me get used to riding one-handed while I tossed the ball back and forth with her. Ron eventually joined us, his laughter ringing loud through the yard when Ginny almost slipped off the handle of her broom. She sent a quaffle towards his head when he wasn’t looking, knocking him off instead. The fall was short, only a couple meters, and he landed in the plushy summer grass.

Fred and George looked over at the fall, Fred immediately zooming over to snatch Ron’s broom. He was left on the ground, shielding his eyes against the sun as he shouted at Fred, begging him to give his broom back. It was thrown between Fred and George, the two laughing as they circled the house numerous times. It was all in playful fun, though. Five minutes later, Ron was hovering beside me with the handle of his broom gripped in his hand.

That was the difference that I admired about the Weasleys. Their joking, mostly the twins’, was incredibly entertaining and they could make me laugh until my stomach hurt and I was gasping for air. Everything was in good fun, nothing was taken seriously. Malfoy had a mean streak in him, though it always seemed to be suppressed when we were alone. Crabbe and Goyle would latch onto that streak when it appeared though, relentlessly bullying younger students in between classes or during meals.

There had been a particular snowstorm last winter, before the Yule Ball. Students had filled the quad like we had for the first snow of third year, schoolbags long abandoned as snowmen were being built and snowballs were hurled through the air. I had watched as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were throwing a Ravenclaw first-year around, Malfoy eventually pushing him face-first into a snow drift.

Jack had winced beside me, pausing from where he was molding our snowman’s head. Which was ironic, given the words Malfoy would shout weeks later, severing all trust I had in Jack.

I wasn’t sure where I drew the line between Jack and Malfoy, and part of me felt unbelievably guilty for liking Malfoy for more than a friend. But it was just too good, those times when we were alone, that I didn’t want to give it up. It might make me weak, but we were all allowed to feel that at times.

A couple hours later, the five of us were sunburnt and exhausted, and decided to retire quidditch for the day. The muscles in my legs ached with each step, but we retreated to the side of the house, leaning our brooms up against the wood. Mr. Weasley made it home in time for dinner, and the seven of us enjoyed a scrumptious meal that Mrs. Weasley had prepared.

The next couple weeks went by in a flash. Ginny and I were woken up many mornings by the twins, the two of them sending in fake robotic mice under the door. Potter and Granger had arrived a week after I did, the two of them taking Ron’s attention away from the rest of us. I didn’t mind, though, spending time with Ginny and the twins was far more interesting. I had always assumed it was because I was friends with Malfoy, but Potter never seemed to give me the time of day. 

A few days before the Express departed from King’s Cross, Mrs. Weasley had organized a Diagon Alley day for everyone. The burrow was nearly bursting with the amount of people staying inside, and I could tell she was begging for a day that wasn’t spent cleaning up after her children. So, on a sunny Tuesday morning, the group of us travelled to the alley, my supply list clutched in my hand. Some of my fifth-year classes required new textbooks, and I had to buy more rolls of parchment.

Ginny and I set off from the rest, heading to a pub first to grab a butterbeer. Diagon Alley was bustling with Hogwarts students and their parents, many first-year families frantically running around the cobblestone streets, desperate to find the next item on their list. I had kept an eye out for that familiar hair, but I never saw it.

Once the crowd had died down a bit, Ginny and I decided to stop into Flourish and Blotts. She needed a new potions textbook, as Ron had accidentally knocked it into the toilet earlier that summer. Why it was in the bathroom, I didn’t know.

Ginny had abandoned me to look over one display, her attention drawn by a new series of books published that year. I meandered through students, waving hello to a couple that I recognized. The quills and parchment rolls were on the other side of the store, and the growing line for the registers made it nearly impossible to reach them in a straight line. 

I had gathered five rolls of parchment under my arm, careful to make sure they wouldn’t fall, when Malfoy’s voice came from over my shoulder. 

“Need a hand?” I turned at his words, a grin spreading over my face before I even saw it was him. He was dressed in the same suit he had been wearing at dinner earlier that summer, his hair neatly pushed away from his face. He looked incredibly handsome, his blue eyes piercing into mine as I faced him.

“Hey, Malfoy,” I breathed out, readjusting the rolls. Involuntarily, my eyes did a sweep of the store around us, half expecting his father to be there. But he wasn’t, at least not where I could see him.

“Is your aunt here? My father said he wanted to pass something along about her old boss, but he wouldn’t tell me what,” Malfoy shrugged, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants. “He’s outside, I can go get him if you-”

Ginny cut him off, suddenly bounding up to my side. The potions textbook she had been searching for was tucked under her arm, a wary look on her face. Malfoy immediately scowled, his mouth pressed in a firm line that was drastically different from the smile it held two seconds ago.

“Olive, mum says she wants to reconvene in thirty minutes,” she said, turning her attention to me, like Malfoy wasn’t even there. He raised his chin, suddenly realizing that my aunt wasn’t here at all. Technically, I hadn’t lied about anything, Ginny had just cut me off before I got the chance to respond.

“Oh, okay. We better buy these now, then,” I nodded hurriedly, looking up to see the queue of students and parents still growing. It would take at least twenty minutes to get to a register, and I didn’t want to keep Mrs. Weasley waiting. 

Malfoy didn’t say anything more, but I shot him a sympathetic look. Only when Ginny wasn’t looking, too busy with scouring the shop for her brothers, did he give me a similar one. “See you on the train, then.”

He left the conversation at that, and I held his gaze until he inevitably disappeared in the mass of people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yall this is kinda offbeat, but if I were to (hypothetically) write a shorter, less-plotty Fred fic, would you guys read it?? Or be interested??


	46. chapter forty-three

Aunt Beth had decided to pick me up at the burrow when she returned from Germany. She claimed it was the least she could do, and she had bought Mrs. Weasley a tin of chocolates to replace the cookies that the twins had inhaled. The ride home was filled with more stories about Germany, Aunt Beth extremely excited that she had found a position she truly excelled in. Her current position came naturally, much more so than her previous jobs.

Since Crouch had been killed by his son in the wake of the third task, her department’s relations with other countries had been cracking under the increasing pressure. The rise of You-Know-Who was creeping over country lines, a widespread fear settling over witches and wizards all over the world.

Aunt Beth had been swept up in the craziness, learning both the ropes of a new employee and how to deal with his rise, and what it meant for the future. She had been on edge all summer, and I had caught her muttering locking spells on the entrances to the house in the evenings. Watching from the top of the stairs, I saw her pocket her wand, sighing exasperatedly as both her hands came up to tug at her hair.

We were both growing up together, though in different stages of life. And, on top of that, Aunt Beth was doing something she never thought she’d had to do. Raise her sister’s daughter, having to balance that line between a stern parental figure and a fun aunt.

The night before the Express left, she had come into my room while I was last-minute packing. My trunk was open, several school sweaters and button-ups draped over the sides. Malfoy’s sweater had really only been worn in the cool evenings of the summer, the extra long sleeves offering me more than enough comfort. It still smelled like him, though it was very faint by now. I was hoping to return to him, let him wear it for a bit, and then steal it back .

When she cleared her throat, I looked over as she leaned against the doorway with crossed arms. A soft smile was on her lips, her eyes sweeping over the mess of clothes I had on my bed. My textbooks were already stacked next to my trunk, the rolls of parchment I had purchased in Diagon Alley resting on top. 

“I just wanted to, uh, tell you to be careful this year, alright?” Aunt Beth said, pushing herself off the doorway before she crossed my room. She sat on the end of my bed, and I joined her a second later, pushing away a couple robes. “I mean, you know what Jack saw.”

I nodded, leaning my head on her shoulder. Removing one hand from her lap, she wrapped her arm around my shoulders, rubbing my upper arm comfortingly. “I know, Aunt Beth,” I tried to reassure her, but she continued talking.

“It’s getting bad, Olive. The Ministry is scared, especially in my department. We haven’t filled Crouch’s position yet, and You-Know-Who is only getting stronger every day,” her voice was full of worry, her words slightly wavering once they slipped off her tongue. “You and I both know Hogwarts is the safest place for you, but I just need you to be extra vigilant, okay?”

I nodded again, my cheek brushing against the material of her blouse. Stretching my arm out, I grabbed her free hand and clutched it in mine. “Something happened that night that you’re not telling me,” I nearly whispered, suddenly piecing together the puzzle. When I had returned from the Manor, I had been so high on seeing Malfoy for the first time in a month, that I simply took Aunt Beth for her word. I had seen her drunk before, at my cousin’s wedding, and it wasn’t like how I had seen her in the living room.

Aunt Beth’s hand traveled up to start stroking my hair, a deep sigh escaping her lips. She was quiet for a few moments before I felt her head bob up and down. I lifted my head, looking at her with furrowed eyebrows, begging for an answer.

“Another Death Eater came,” she mumbled, the corner of her mouth tugging up in a small smile. It was a weak effort to reassure me, and it definitely wasn’t enough. My lips parted in surprise, my mind beginning to race at a million kilometers an hour. It couldn’t have been Mr. Malfoy, he was retiring for the night when I left. I doubted it was Malfoy, he would never do such a thing.

The only Death Eaters that came to mind were the Levskis. Since Ivan had been disqualified, they had sneered at me with pure hatred whenever I saw them. At the dinner before the third task, climbing the stands, and Jack had mentioned their loyalty to You-Know-Who in the graveyard. 

“What happened?” I breathed out, not sure if I wanted to hear her answer. I prayed she would tell me the truth, which was selfish, since I couldn’t bring myself to tell her my secrets.

“Cruciatus curse,” she whispered, averting her gaze to look over my trunk again. A gasp left my lips, my heartrate immediately picking up. It was an instinct, pulling her in for a tight hug. I imagined her thrashing about on the living room floor, her screams of pain echoing through the house. And I had been skipping home, giddy and dancing on cloud nine.

She could’ve died, and it would’ve been all my fault. I buried my face into her shoulder, feeling her sob reverberate through my body. Before I knew it, I was crying too, completely overwhelmed. 

We both held onto each other tightly for a couple minutes, simply taking the time to let everything out before we began to recollect ourselves. I sniffled as she pulled away, reaching up to wipe my nose with the back of my hand. Aunt Beth let out a small, broken laugh, trying to lighten the mood like she always did. 

“The bastard came through the front door, like it was his own. Couldn’t show his face, of course. Too much of a wimp to do that,” she scoffed sarcastically, dragging her palms down her cheeks to wipe away some stray tears. “I thought it was you, didn’t think twice about keeping my back to the door.

“I’m not sure who it was, but he yelled for answers about you. Where you were, your age, how we were related,” she continued, looking over at me. My breath hitched in my throat when she mentioned me. It couldn’t have been the Levski’s, they knew my age, where I went to school. So, I was back to square one. I didn’t know. I didn’t know anything, and I couldn’t think of anything, and I was incredibly frustrated. 

“My age?” I repeated, extremely confused. Even more so, once I realized that whoever it was, hadn’t thought to use the Imperius curse, which would’ve easily given them their answers. Aunt Beth shrugged, just as much at a loss as I was. 

“I dunno why,” she agreed, sighing as her shoulders relaxed. “I’m sorry I’m not as good at this, as good as her.”

I knew she was referring to my mother, and my heart cracked open a bit more. My mother had always kept her composure under stress, always logically thinking through the way to the solution. Never once had her poise faltered, or crumbled under stress. She was my family’s own superwoman, the one holding us together. Until she was gone, and Aunt Beth had to take her older sister’s place.

Shaking my head profusely, I thought of the right words to rid those thoughts from Aunt Beth’s head forever. She was doing everything she could, and I greatly appreciated it. “Aunt Beth, you will never know how grateful I am for you,” I reassured her, tilting my head downwards so I could catch her eye. She laughed quietly again, a huff of air leaving her nose. “Thank you so much, for everything.”

I pulled her in for another hug, squeezing her tight. She seemed to relax, her arms wrapping around me just as tightly. “You be safe, you promise me?” she requested once more when she leaned back, raising an eyebrow. Chuckling, I nodded and promised her I would. 

“Alright, I’ll let you finish packing,” she stood from my bed, straightening the hem of her blouse before she crossed her arms. “We have to leave by ten.” The reminder was said every year, but it still made me chuckle. She tapped the side of my door frame as a farewell before she left for her bedroom.

The rest of the night was spent shoving my trunk as full as I could, trying my hardest to fold my clothes properly. Textbooks were placed neatly in the inner corner, the new ones with crisp, sharp covers. I was nearing the end of the ink supply in Malfoy’s quill, and as much as I hoped he would give me another, I knew it was a selfish thing to wish for. So, I had tucked five brown-feathered ones under the straps, securing them for the travel. My wand went alongside them, as I wouldn’t need it for the trainride.

That night, I slept in Malfoy’s sweater. Maybe it was because of the sheer amount of times I had worn it, but the material had softened, and it wasn’t as scratchy as it had been when he gave it to me. I supposed he never formally gave it to me, it was because of that stupid dare Jack had given him. He had never asked for it back, though, even when he returned mine before we got off the Express.

I knew better than to wear it tomorrow, not wanting his father to see in the case he was on the platform. Simple jeans and a jumper were folded neatly on top of my trunk, waiting for tomorrow morning.

Sleep came quicker than I had expected, slipping away into dreams of a certain blonde-haired boy.

\---

The next morning, Aunt Beth was already downstairs, cooking up a chocolate chip pancake breakfast. The smell wafted up the stairs, and under the crack of my door. Shedding Malfoy’s sweater, I pulled on the jumper before I skipped downstairs. My stomach was grumbling loudly by the time I slipped onto a stool next to Aunt Beth. She had spelled the spatula to flip the pancakes, keeping a careful eye on them as she read the morning paper at the kitchen island. 

“Mornin’,” she said through a yawn, flicking her hand upwards once I sat. The spatula scooted under the pancake, and with a dramatic flip, the uncooked side landed on the griddle. 

“Good morning,” I nearly sang, reaching for the pitcher of water. The journey to Hogwarts always lifted my spirits, as I was extremely excited to see my friends for the first time in months. 

Breakfast went by quickly, the two of us running late by the end. I was thankful that I had packed everything the night before, I wouldn’t have had time to do so this morning. Shoving Malfoy’s sweater and my pajama shorts into my trunk, I sat on the lid to latch it properly. I wiggled into my jeans as I took a final sweep of my room, keeping an eye out for anything I may have missed. Everything was packed, though, so I wrangled my trunk down the stairs and set it by the front door. Aunt Beth had already caged Athena, who was hooting from the kitchen table. 

Twenty minutes later, we were en route to King’s Cross, Led Zeppelin blasting from the radio. It had become something of a tradition, listening to their music on the ride to the platform. By the time we had walked through the brick wall, it was already bustling with students and parents. The train gleamed under the sunlight, white clouds of steam puffing from the engine. Aunt Beth and I handed off Athena and my trunk as usual, soon stepping off to the side. 

I hadn’t seen any of my friends yet, so I assumed they might’ve already found a compartment. 

“Owl me often, okay? More so than last year, I swear, or I will come to Hogwarts myself,” Aunt Beth threatened, though there was a twinkle in her eye as she playfully waggled her finger at me. I was about to respond when I heard Jack’s voice carrying through the crowd, his arms out wide as he approached. 

“Olive!” he immediately took me in for a hug, his new stature completely towering over mine. He must’ve grown a few inches over the summer, and his shoulders had broadened as well. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he hit the gym every free day he had over the past couple months. At first, I was overjoyed to see him, until I realized that Aunt Beth was standing two feet away. 

“Mrs. Wilkinson, it’s so nice to finally meet you. Jack Simmons, I hope Olive has told you about me,” he said once he pulled away, offering his hand to my aunt before I could even say anything. She eyed me, though it was more of a “what-the-fuck” look rather than a simple, curious one. I groaned, closing my eyes as I tried to think of something to say.

“You can call me Beth, dear,” she took his hand nonetheless, giving him a firm handshake. After a small smile directed towards him, she narrowed her eyes and stared at me. Jack picked up on it, lessening the enthusiasm of the shake until it stopped. 

“What?” he muttered, looking between the two of us. I don’t know how long I thought I could keep my parent’s death from him, but I supposed there was never a good time to tell him. All of third-year was filled with a budding friendship and jokes, and I only had a few good months with him last year. 

“I’ll tell you later,” I sighed, looking at him as I scratched the top of my head. Their hands slipped from one another’s, Jack shooting me a confused look. I ignored it for a brief moment, though, wishing Aunt Beth a goodbye and giving her a final hug. She left the two of us with a wave, yelling at me to write her once more. 

“What?” Jack asked again once we were alone, watching Aunt Beth leave before his gaze snapped back to me. I had to really crane my neck to meet his eyes, he had to have grown more than a couple inches. 

“Tell you later, Simmons,” I repeated, though the use of his last name was joking and playful. He dropped the subject, shrugging as we turned to face the Express. Malfoy weaved his way through the crowd, coming to a stop on my left. 

“Wilkinson, Simmons,” he addressed us, nodding his head at the two of us. I almost laughed, as I hadn’t expected the sudden formality. His parents were nowhere to be seen, so I assumed they had already left. The three of us followed a group of Ravenclaws onto the train, Jack immediately leading us to the left. Malfoy trailed behind me, sandwiching me between the two boys. We were a few compartments down when I heard my name being called from behind me. Jack and Malfoy stopped a few paces ahead, but I turned first. 

“Olive!” Ron’s red hair bobbed through a couple other Gryffindors, something clutched in both of his hands. Potter and Granger were behind him, though they had ducked into an empty compartment. “You forgot your sweater when you stayed with us, and mum wanted to give you a bag of truffles for the beginning of the school year.”

I pushed past Malfoy, ignoring the scoff that came from him. Ron slowed to a stop once he reached me, holding out both items. “That’s where it went!” I laughed, looking down at the gray-and-white sweater. When I had been packing, I was certain I accidentally left it behind at Hogwarts last June. “Thank your mum for me, please.”

“Ginny would’ve given it to you, but I saw you on the platform, and Ginny ran off to sit with her friends...” he trailed off, but I shook it off with a smile. Taking the sweater from him, I draped it over my arm as I thanked him. He smiled back, and then disappeared into the compartment with his friends.

“What the bloody hell was that about?” Malfoy whispered as I passed him, his voice nearly a hiss. Jack had continued down the aisleway once he had realized it was only Ron, not caring enough to stay behind. I smirked to myself at Malfoy’s sudden jealousy, and I could picture the scowl on his lips without turning to see it.

“I just forgot my sweater at his house, that’s all?” I decided to egg him on, his reaction just too good to calm this early. My tone raised in an innocent question, shrugging like it was no big deal. 

“When the hell were you at his house? What, are you two a thing now? That’s great, Wilkinson and Weasle-bee,” Malfoy scoffed, glaring through an open doorway at a first-year who had become invested in our conversation. He trailed me closely as I walked down the aisle, the smirk never leaving my face. He couldn’t see it, anyways. 

I turned sharply on my heel, catching him off guard. Before he could slow his pace, he walked into me, our chests colliding. He had also grown a bit, his cheekbones protruding more than they had last year. Slowly but surely, he was losing the baby fat in his face.

He grabbed the sweater from my hands before I could answer, taking a step back and holding up between us. Mrs. Weasley’s neat folding job came undone, the sleeves dangling down. It was like he was checking it was mine, though he didn’t seem convinced. “My sweater wasn’t enough, was that it? Do you still even have it? I shouldn’t have let you keep it in the first place,” he continued, his words becoming harsher and harsher. 

The first-years in the compartment were now fully engrossed in the fight, as one-sided as it was. They nearly had their faces pressed against the glass, their eyes wide as they darted between Malfoy and I. Since we were near the end of the train car, there were surprisingly no waiting students behind him, though I’m sure he would’ve barked at them anyways.

“If you’re going to be this much of a dick to me when we’re around others, you can keep your sweater,” I snapped, suddenly infuriated. Usually, I had a good hold on my anger, but when I became inflamed, it swelled instantaneously. Malfoy was hurling one accusation after another, and not giving me the chance to explain anything, though I doubted he would even listen. “Wouldn’t want to tell anybody else that I’m yours, anyways.”

His right eyebrow lifted, but it was in a mocking manner. Balling up my sweater, he pushed it against my chest. I just barely grasped it before he retreated his hand, hiding his clenched fist inside his trouser pockets. “You’re not mine, anyways.” He taunted, his eyes narrowing as he stared downwards at me. 

I couldn’t believe he was doing this in the train car, surrounded by other students. We had been able to lay low last school year, nobody knew what was going on between us. I don’t know what had snapped inside him, if it was truly only because of Ron, but I wasn’t having it.

So, I spun on my heel and angrily stormed down the short distance to the compartment. From behind me, I heard Malfoy slam his hand against the window above the first-years’ heads, the glass pane rattling as they yelped and fell back into their seats. Crabbe and Goyle were already sitting with Jack, who I dropped down next to in a huff. 

Malfoy and I’s fight, if I could even call it that, was extremely childish. His jealousy, the sheer thought of me wearing Ron’s sweater, was enough to send him over the edge. A few moments later, he slipped through the doorway, sitting down beside Goyle. Jack nudged my arm, catching my attention. I looked up at him, my hands still clutching the sweater and the bag of truffles. 

“You okay?” he mouthed, nodding towards the aisle. He must’ve seen Malfoy and I, and because of my heavy breathing, he probably guessed there was something more to it.

“Got jealous of Ron,” I whispered under my breath, setting the sweater down on the bench beside me, the truffles following on top. Jack chuckled, clearly finding the situation amusing. It partly was, but I was more irritated with Malfoy’s last words. Whether he meant them or not, I didn’t know. 

I had thought that sneaking around with Malfoy would be fun, that it was exciting to have a secret that we could keep from the others. It was like an acting job, the two of us coming across as mere friends at meals, or in the common room. Besides that one time Blaise walked in, of course.

But things had changed since the third task. Diggory’s death had reawakened my fear of losing someone close to me, even though I didn’t know him very well. The visit to the manor was also draining, having to pretend that Malfoy and I were just friends in front of his parents, the people who should be proud that he snagged a girlfriend. And finally, the second attack on Aunt Beth had sent me back onto a search for security. 

Jack had been it at one time, the friend that I could turn to for anything. But we were still working on our friendship, trying to rebuild the trust that had been lost. Malfoy, whether he knew it or not, was my security. And it sucked that he could revoke it as he pleased, whenever he wanted to.

I wanted to be able to kiss him freely, not having to worry about finding a hidden alcove in the corridors. Or grab his hand over the table, or even under like we usually did. There was so much that I wanted, but Malfoy seemed much too self-preserved to entertain my wants. 

Jack gave me a sympathetic smile, but his eye was soon caught by the cellophane bag. “Oh, sweet! Who got you these?” he reached over my lap, tossing the bag of truffles around in his hand once he grabbed it. I didn’t care if he ate a couple, I’m sure Mrs. Weasley would encourage sharing. 

“Ron’s mum,” I answered, nodding as Jack gestured to untying the twine that held the bag shut. Once I gave him permission, he untwisted the bag, immediately taking one out and offering me it before he took one for himself. I bit into it tentatively, the chocolate flavor incredible.

Jack nearly moaned through a mouthful of chocolate, a few shards resting on the corners of his mouth. “How’d she know these were your favorite?” he laughed, taking another bite from the sphere. I was about to speak when Malfoy did it for me.

“Nougat chunks are her favorite,” he mumbled from across the compartment, and I finally looked at him for the first time since the Express had left King’s Cross. He was leaning against the back of the bench, his arms crossed over his chest. We held each others’ gaze for a moment or two, his eyes looking regretful. I sighed, shrugging to agree with him. 

Jack chuckled under his breath, his eyebrows flicking upwards in an “I see” way. I swore, I had told Jack that in the past, but maybe he forgot. Malfoy looked away first, redirecting his attention out the window. I was surprised that Katie and Blaise weren’t sitting with us, but the second I thought of them, they appeared in the aisle. They must’ve just been looking for us.

“Ohmygosh,” Katie rushed out as soon as she pulled the door open, letting her and Blaise in. “Took forever to find you guys!” 

She immediately dropped down next to me, shoving the sweater across the bench so she could sit as close as possible. Blaise sat next to her after he shut the door. 

“Have you heard about the new Dark Arts professor? I swear, that position is cursed,” Katie laughed, looking around at the seven of us. Blaise had a small smile on his lips, his arm slinking around her shoulders. Unconsciously, her hand came to play with his fingers, still gossiping. My eyes darted down to the simple gesture, and though I’m sure the two didn’t think much of it, a pang of jealousy shot through my heart. 

I hadn’t seen it, but Malfoy’s gaze was pinned on the same thing, his bottom lip drawn between his teeth as his eyes traced over Blaise and Katie’s interlocked fingers. Inhaling deeply, I brought my attention back to Katie to just barely catch what she was saying.

“Her name’s Umbridge, I heard she’s come from the ministry. Surprised she didn’t go for Crouch’s job, my parents said they’ve been having real trouble filling it,” she continued, her eyes darting between Jack and I. Crabbe and Goyle weren’t listening, the two splitting a box of jelly beans. 

Umbridge’s name rang a bell, but I couldn’t remember where from. Jack piped up next to me, offering his opinion on the class, making Blaise laugh. 

The rest of the train ride was filled with lighthearted banter and catching each other up on our summers. Katie and Blaise had apparently had a great time with his mother, the three of them taking a trip through France for the hell of it. Jack talked about his time in St. Mungo’s, though it wasn’t very long. Malfoy didn’t say much, and neither did I. 

Jack eventually fell asleep like he always did, stretching one leg across my lap. I didn’t mind, but Malfoy seemed to. His gaze was cold, his eyes boring a hole into my hands that were resting on Jack’s calf. Honestly, I didn’t know where else to put them, so drumming my fingers along the denim of Jack’s jeans seemed like the next best thing. Besides, I was still annoyed with Malfoy.

Hours later, the Express pulled into the Hogsmeade station. Jack was definitely back to his typical self, joking around with Blaise as we filed out of the train. Malfoy walked behind me, clearly still fuming about my encounter with Ron. My sweater was draped over my arm, the truffles shoved into the pocket of my jumper. 

Jack’s laughter had died down once he came to walk alongside me, a couple amused sighs leaving his mouth as he caught his breath. Him and Blaise had been ripping up pieces of a napkin and dropping them into the hood of Goyle’s jumper all trainride. Even now, Goyle still had no clue. The group was following the others to the carriages, though the walk from the station was short.

His laughter really came to a stop when he finally looked up, able to see the thestrals for the first time ever. It hadn’t occurred to me that him witnessing Diggory’s death would flip the switch for him. I heard his breath hitch in his throat, and my hand instinctively came up to rest on his shoulder. He tensed as we approached, his eyes watching the horse-like animals closely.

“Do you see them too?” he asked, his gaze never once wavering from the animals. I snuck a glance, though I already knew the answer. I could only see the bouncing reins, moving like they were being pulled from an invisible force high in the sky.

I shook my head, and Jack sighed from beside me. Even as we approached a waiting carriage, Jack couldn’t tear his attention away, too entranced with the terrifying appearance of the creatures. They represented what I thought I understood about loss, thanks to the death of my parents, but I still dreaded the possibility of seeing them just as he did.

The group of us piled into a carriage, Pansy’s absence giving us each our own seat. We sat like we had in the train, Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy on one side, the rest of us on the other. I listened half-heartedly as the thestrals pulled us towards Hogwarts, my thigh brushing up against Jack’s since Katie and Blaise took up half the seat. But he had busied himself with staring out the window, not paying attention to what was happening inside the carriage.

As always, the crowd of students meandered up the cobblestone path and into the Great Hall for the beginning-of-year feast. Following Jack to the Slytherin table, I snuck a glance at the professors already sitting at the front of the hall. I recognized most of them, though a couple new ones were seated inbetween.

“That Grubbly-Plank woman is back, d’ya think Hagrid has finally left?” I heard Goyle comment from behind me, where he was walking with Malfoy and Crabbe.

“I sure hope so, that oaf is a worthless professor. Tries to kill students any chance he gets,” Malfoy scoffed, his voice ringing loud between my ears. The Slytherin table was nearly half-full when we found our spots, students filling in from the front to the back. In typical fashion, the front part of the table was left open for the first-years.

I took a seat between Jack and Katie, Malfoy and the others settling for the other side of the table. Katie nudged my side with her elbow, nodding her head towards the short, plump woman sitting alongside Snape. Her pink cardigan was rather jolting, especially next to Snape’s signature all-black attire.

Small talk was made while McGonagall organized the first-years, lining them up in front of the professor’s table. Before any first-years could be sorted, the hat had to give his song. I half-heartedly listened, expecting it to be the same as every year. But when Jack had knocked his knee against mine, I looked up, following his confused gaze and finally opening my ears.

It was different, the heads of students beginning to swivel around in confusion. Even as the hat was bellowing, several whispers and mutters swept through the Great Hall. 

“Rather off-beat this year, isn’t it?” Jack chuckled, though it felt slightly forced and uncomfortable. Blaise looked over Katie’s head, shooting him a perplexed look paired with furrowed eyebrows. 

“I’d say,” he responded before he turned back. The lyrics were like a warning, wanting to offer Hogwarts as much advice as it could in the short few minutes. The words only latched onto the current fear I had deep down, the anxiety of this upcoming year rising once more. 

The Sorting Hat came to the end of its song, immediately met with an outcry of applause like normal. Students still looked hesitant though, eyebrows raised as their hands automatically clapped.

McGonagall began the list, guiding each bright-eyed student to the stool and placing the Sorting Hat on their head. The first one was sorted into Slytherin, earning himself a massive amount of cheering and clapping from the rest of us. I joined the others, a wide smile on my face as the young boy shuffled to the end of the table. He was welcomed by some third-years, all of them slapping him on the back.

McGonagall moved as briskly as she could through the names, each table welcoming their new student when they got one. Around halfway through, Katie’s younger brother had been sorted as a Slytherin, Katie forcing us to stand and welcome him home. I laughed at her excited screaming, clearly embarrassing her brother as he hid his face from the back half of the table.

My stomach became hungrier with each student, and I groaned as the alphabetical list moved slowly on. Eventually, the number of first-years thinned, only five still standing. The Sorting Hat gave the last student to Ravenclaw, who immediately ran down the steps to join the table. 

I was dreading Dumbledore’s speech, though he didn’t give much of one this year. Especially in comparison to last year, where we had spent nearly twenty minutes introducing Durmstrang and Beauxbatons.

The feast was delicious as usual. Jack even started up the competitions he had abandoned for the latter half of last year. Katie and I winced in disgust when Crabbe spewed roasted carrots onto his plate, and Malfoy looked just as annoyed. Halfway through the feast, Pansy had stopped by quickly to say hello, before she ran off with Liam when Filch wasn’t looking.

I was actually jealous of Pansy, something that never once crossed my mind as being possible.

Dumbledore drew the attention of the tables once more, making the same announcements as always. Stay out of the Forbidden Forest, magic isn’t allowed in the corridors, a new list of banned things now hung outside of Filch’s office. 

“We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher,” Dumbledore continued, gesturing to the two women as he introduced them. 

I still couldn’t place Umbridge’s name, and it bothered the hell out of me. Dumbledore began telling students about Quidditch tryouts, but he was promptly cut off by Umbridge clearing her throat. It was a small, high-pitched noise, yet it somehow echoed through the Great Hall. I watched as she stood up, though she didn’t move from behind the professor’s table.

Snape’s gaze followed her as she stood, his mouth set in a scowl as he dropped it. She began a speech, clearly one that she had prepared. I barely listened, too busy with rearranging the leftovers on my plate into a face. Jack chuckled from beside me, dropping a carrot on my plate to form an eyebrow. 

Her speech, full of non-important things, dragged on for what seemed like years, and students soon became restless. No one was paying attention, Malfoy snickering with Crabbe and Goyle. Five minutes later, she had come to a close, looking smug and happy with herself as she sat back down. Dumbledore finished his speech, releasing the students to their dormitories. The Slytherin prefects were leading the first-years in the front, the rest of the house following behind. 

Jack had decided to hang back with Katie and Blaise, leaving me to walk alone. I half-expected Malfoy to join me, but I realized how foolish I was when he didn’t make a move. There was something he wasn’t telling me, instead he was solely blaming his distance on Ron.

The Slytherin password was mumbled through the crowd once the prefect announced it, and the group of students filed through the door. I ignored the prefect’s direction to the first-years, immediately ducking down the girl’s wing. It was too late to deal with Malfoy, I wanted to sleep on it and decide what to say tomorrow morning.

For the first time ever, I felt like I was dancing on thin ice around him, and if I fell through, I don’t think he would offer me a hand. Everything prior had felt so natural and easy with him. But now, I was scared to tell him what I truly thought, and I was even more scared to hear whatever his response was.

I literally almost threw my trunk at the wall when I remembered the potions summer assignment. Malfoy had agreed to do it with me tonight, when we returned to Hogwarts, so I had ignored it. That was out the window now, though.

Katie and Pansy burst through the door a few minutes later, the two of them immediately thinking out loud about how to decorate the dormitory. I gave them a few opinions before I excused myself to the common room, my potions textbook and parchment tucked in the crook of my arm. I had decided to keep the rest of Malfoy’s quill for an exam, so one of my hawk ones was nestled between my index and middle finger as I walked down the hallway.

Surprisingly, the common room was nearly empty. A few seventh-years were by the fire playing a game of Wizard’s Chess, and a couple first-years were getting to know one another by the windows. I settled for the circular table, dropping down in the dark wood stool as I spread out my things.

Doing schoolwork the night before classes even started, how atypical of me. I hadn’t thought about potions in months, so it took numerous scans of the section to fully grasp what Snape was requiring in the assignment. 

Trying to remember Malfoy’s tips, I began to write my name on the parchment. Dip the quill, wipe off the excess ink, write lightly. My name came out better than I had expected, and I sat back in the chair, satisfied with my work. A voice came from behind me a moment later though, but I knew exactly who it was without having to turn.

“Wilkinson?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mondays suck lolol  
> a little jealous malfoy moment bc why not


	47. chapter forty-four

“Wilkinson?”

My heart leaped at the single word, Malfoy’s voice carrying through the air of the common room. I was still furious with him, his accusations on the train were childish and immature, especially since he hadn’t given me the chance to explain. If he was insecure about Ron, I wish he would’ve just told me. But maybe it was too much to ask.

Against my better judgment, I turned and rested my forearm along the back of the chair. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed, an obvious look of hesitancy on his face. The signature leather bag was hanging off his shoulder, his hand resting in the crook where the strap met the body. 

Malfoy didn’t say anything for a moment, his eyes frantically darting anywhere but me. I sighed, about to turn back around when he spoke again.

“Are you doing the summer assignment for potions?” he asked, his voice smaller than it usually was. Scoffing, I shook my head in disbelief and faced forward once more. I shouldn’t have expected him to apologize for what he said on the train. As much as I wished it was in his blood, it simply wasn’t. 

“Wilkinson-” he tried again, and I heard his voice become louder as he took a couple strides towards me. I busied myself with my textbook, flipping to a random page to make it seem like my priorities were elsewhere.

“Yes,” I responded curtly, dipping the tip of my quill in the pot. I wasn’t sure what I was going to write, but I wanted an excuse to avoid his gaze. 

“Can I join?” Malfoy questioned, though he had already dumped his bag down on the table beside mine. Two spots down, a chair was pulled out from underneath the table. It was like he didn’t dare sit next to me. 

“We were supposed to do it together, anyways,” I snapped. My gaze stayed on my textbook, my eyes sweeping back and forth over lines of text, but I hadn’t the slightest clue what they read. I tried to ignore the pounding of my heart in my chest, though the blood pulsing through my ears was much too loud. 

“Well, if you hadn’t left your bloody sweater at that family’s-”

“Don’t turn this on me,” I seethed, finally lifting my gaze to meet his. Malfoy couldn’t even bring himself to say their name. My eyes were full of anger, slightly narrowed as I glared at him. He looked taken aback, his lips parting as he stilled from sitting down. Tightly grasping the back of the chair he had pulled out, a small scowl settled over his lips.

“And why not? Why shouldn’t I? You’re the one who’s hurting me here,” he shot back, only infuriating me more. His words shot a hole through my heart, much larger than I think he had meant for them to. The grip I had on my quill tightened, a few drops of ink dotting my blank parchment. I would have to start on a new sheet given Snape’s requirements, but that was the last thing on my mind.

Our conversation wasn’t as hushed as I thought it was, the first-years looking over at the distraction. The seventh-years had paused their game as well, peering over the backs of the couches. 

Even if we did talk, I knew it wouldn’t go anywhere. Malfoy’s ego was much too important to him, and I couldn’t help but think that maybe he recognized how hurtful his words were, but perhaps he didn’t.

I shook my head, looking back at my textbook. It was still a flurry of words, none in particular standing out. “Leave,” I muttered under my breath. I didn’t care to deal with him tonight, and I wanted to finish the assignment on time. Snape’s wrath was much too terrifying to receive on the first day of the year.

“No.”

Groaning, I threw my quill onto the table in a huff. A streak of ink crossed the wood of the table, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. He was exhausting. 

“You won’t even give me the chance-” I started, but he grabbed his bag and slipped the strap back over his shoulder. I stopped talking on my own accord, watching his hand grip the strap.

“C’mon,” he nodded towards the door, and my mouth dropped open in incredulity. He couldn’t possibly be expecting me to follow. My hands turned upwards in a confused motion, waving through the air as I tried to form a response. I don’t know why I couldn’t form a single thought.

“I’ll listen, but they don’t need to,” he muttered, his gaze darting over to the first-years. They immediately turned around, hiding their faces and pretending they weren’t looking. The seventh-years had turned around as well, which I found ironic. Two years older than us, and they were still intimidated by Malfoy. 

I didn’t know what I was going to say to him, but after a few seconds of debating, I stood. Silently, the two of us crossed the common room, Malfoy leaving through the door first. He immediately started down to the right, leading me towards the potions classroom. I assumed that Snape would be in his quarters for the night, so it should be empty.

Malfoy pulled the door open, though he averted his gaze as he held it for me. I slipped through without a word, entering into an empty room. Setting my bag on a table, I heard the door swing shut behind me. Malfoy’s footsteps echoed through the room as he approached behind me.

“Why were you at his house?” he asked coolly, his bag dropping down on the table across the aisle from the one I had chosen. Instead of answering right away, I hoisted myself onto the wood, my fingers curling around the edge as my feet swung back and forth. The dungeons weren’t as cool this time of year, so my hands weren’t frozen numb like they typically were in the winter.

Part of me was surprised that he had calmed down, actually giving me the opportunity to offer him the truth. I supposed that it could be because we were alone, though I tried not to dwell on it. If he were to interrupt me once more, I wouldn’t hesitate to snap.

“My aunt had to travel for the ministry, Ginny invited me to stay with them for the two weeks,” I shrugged, emphasizing Ginny’s name. He brushed that off, however, simply moving on from the debate on who I was at the burrow to see.

“Two weeks?” he scoffed, sitting on his table so we were facing one another. His legs were longer, his feet nearly touching the ground though his fingers reflected mine, grasping the edge. “You could’ve stayed with me.”

“Yeah, like your father would’ve approved that,” I laughed bitterly, shaking my head. My eyes flicked around the room, avoiding his intent gaze.

“I said with me,” he repeated, though his words were still cold and extremely unwelcoming. “We could’ve figured something out.”

“What? Hide in your room the entire time?” I mocked, the insensitive joke leaving my mouth before I could stop it. Usually, I would feel bad about saying something like that, but he had been so cruel all day that I ignored my conscience.

“I’ve done it,” he shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal in the slightest. Immediately, a sorrowful pang shot through my chest, feeling sympathy for the boy that practically told me he wanted nothing to do with me hours prior.

Aunt Beth had always complained that relationships were messy, no matter how hard you worked through them. She claimed it was the reason she was still single, deciding to be too busy soaking up her glory days than to deal with immature men. I still wasn’t sure what Malfoy and I had, but things seemed too much too complicated for a relationship this infantile.

I couldn’t be certain if I would regret the next thing out of my mouth, but I said it anyway. “Did you mean what you said?” Surely, he would understand what I was referring to. If we had continued this in the common room, there was the chance his mean streak would appear and embarrass me by making me explain it. But we weren’t, so I prayed he would keep it civil.

He shook his head, his fingers unwrapping from the table and coming to play with his rings. The movement caught my attention, and I noticed that his finger was still bare under his family ring. He hadn’t replaced the ring he had given me, even with his parents looking for it all summer and thinking he had lost it. 

It still hung around my neck, though it was hidden underneath the sweater I was wearing. There was a brief moment on the train, right before I stormed off, where I had considered ripping it off and shoving it back into his hand. 

“I want you to be mine,” he mumbled, but the hesitancy in his voice immediately seeped through, whether he meant for it to or not. He and I could pick up on each other’s tells, something that I had never had with anyone else. Typically, it was funny, like when I could tell he hated the green beans at dinner when he took extra long to swallow them. Or when he caught the wide-eyed look I shot him when McGonagall said an accidental innuendo in class. 

So it was more so sad, when we could tell the other was hiding something, consciously preventing it from slipping between their teeth.

“But what?” I whispered before I could even consider if I wanted to hear his answer. We were both quiet for a few moments, my legs stilling from swinging back and forth. I regretted asking the question, regretted asking him to dig further into his emotions. 

When he hadn’t spoke, I broke the silence for him. “Why can’t we be like Katie and Blaise? What is so bad about wanting something like that?” My voice was barely audible, and I half-expected it to fizzle in the air between us. Images of Blaise’s arm hung around Katie’s shoulders, the two holding hands so nonchalantly, the small farewell kisses he pressed to the top of her head filled my head instantaneously, and I could only hope Malfoy’s was swirling with them as well.

Malfoy swallowed thickly, the sound of his gulp much louder than normal in the quiet room. He still didn’t make a move to answer, seemingly trapped in his mind. The lack of communication began to frustrate me, a mix of anger and desperation bubbling up inside of me. 

“Malfoy,” I tried, slipping off the edge of the table. My feet planted firmly on the ground, my hand dangling by my sides. He pursed his lips when he felt my eyes on his face, looking towards the front of the classroom. The invisible walls he had begun to tear down for me were being rebuilt, closing me off. 

My hands reached around my neck, fiddling with the clasp of his necklace. They were shaking in frustration, preventing me from unhooking it. As my lip trembled, I was finally able to take it off, the chain pooling in my palm before I closed it. Had I been paying closer attention, I would’ve seen that he was watching me, his features dropping as the chain was removed from my neck. He looked away before I could notice.

“I can’t do this if you won’t talk to me, Malfoy,” I gave one more attempt, my body completely exhausted. The only sound in the classroom was the clock’s minute hand, the rhythmic,steady sound taunting the fast pace of my heart.

I decided to give him one last chance to talk. If he wouldn’t give me anything, I would leave without taking a second glance over my shoulder. 

“Why won’t you say what you’re really thinking?”

“I want you to be mine, Olive! Merlin, I really do,” he said suddenly, pushing himself off the table. I jumped at the outburst, still having expected him to stay bottled up. “But I’m terrified of breaking you, hurting you. I am so scared something will happen that I have no control over and I have to watch the pain and harm I brought you into, especially when you have the choice of ending whatever this is,” his hand waved back and forth between us, his eyebrows knitting together. “Just do it now, Olive, please. And I won’t be mad, I swear it.”

His voice wavered as he spoke, only meeting my gaze once he finished. Although it wasn’t said, Malfoy had implied he couldn’t sever the ties between us, that he couldn’t bring himself to do so. If we were to leave the classroom with the ring back on his finger, it would be my choice. 

He looked as surprised as I felt, like he hadn’t foreseen himself opening up like that. My lips parted as I digested his words, finally understanding the fear and uncertainty he had felt the entire summer we were apart. It might be silly of me, but I reckoned it began after the dinner with his parents.

“You won’t hurt me,” I reassured him, though I don’t think I could convince myself of it. A broken sigh left his mouth, shaking his head frantically like he was trying to tell himself the contrary, that he inevitably would. 

Some anxiety had dissipated when I realized Mr. Malfoy’s mask was different, but a shiver still went down my spine at the thought of his loyalty to the Dark Lord. It was dangerous, being around the Malfoys, and I knew that. Hell, it was even dangerous being around Jack, but I hoped the walls of Hogwarts were enough protection for the coming months.

I would be going against everything I had promised Aunt Beth, everything my parents had raised me to think was right. 

“I want to be yours as much as you want to be mine, if not more. I promise you, Draco,” I told him, taking a step forward. It was a pure guess, assuming he felt the same as me. When I mentioned his name, the only time I had ever called him by his first, his gaze shot to meet mine.

His bottom lip was still trembling, though his eyes searched my face in a distressed manner. He was trying to find a small microexpression, a small tell that I was lying.

But I refused to give him any doubt, anything he could latch onto and use against me. With a tentative hand, I reached up to brush a loose strand of his hair back. Given the long day of travel, his gel had given out by this time. My touch was gentle, my heartbeat picking up like it was my first time ever being this close to him. 

A moment later, my hand came to rest on his cheek, my thumb sweeping over the soft skin. My eyes flicked back and forth between his two, giving him a small smile. I refrained from saying anything more, wanting to give him the chance to speak.

“Okay,” he whispered, his response extremely simple. But I knew it was the extent I would get from him, he had already opened himself much too wide tonight. I nodded, his head bobbing in agreement a second later. My hand slipped to his shoulder, my thumb continuing to swipe back and forth over the material of his suit. For some reason, he was still wearing it after the long day.

He kissed me first tonight. It wasn’t that I was annoyed that it had nearly always been me in the past, but it was his small way of affirming what I had presumed. That he was mine.

One of his hands circled my waist to rest on my lower back, pulling me into his chest as his other cupped my jawline. The kiss was more intense than our first, but not because of hunger or need. It wasn’t desperate, either. I couldn’t exactly describe it, but it felt more mature, like there was a more thorough reasoning behind it. We weren’t kissing just to say we had, or to gossip about it later with our friends. We were kissing to fully give into the other, to hand each other our insecurities and fears and trust the other to not abuse them.

His hands stayed put, though he attempted to pull me in as close as physically possible. The material of his suit was smooth and cool, each seam length perfectly tailored for him. My free hand ran from his shoulder, to his neck, to the back of his head before repeating the course time over time. The necklace was still clasped in my other hand, my fist resting against his chest.

I pulled away when the lack of oxygen was setting my lungs ablaze. My eyelids fluttered open as I looked up at him, a lazy smirk matching his. He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, his eyes sweeping over my face as they looked from my eyes down to my swollen lips.

“Will you please put that back on?” he murmured, glancing down at my fist which was still pressed against his chest. I didn’t know he had seen me take it off, he must’ve snuck a glance when I wasn’t looking. A small chuckle escaped my lips, my shoulders shaking in amusement. Not a moment later, his ring was dangling alongside the olive branch, the two tucked underneath the collar of my sweater.

He looked hesitant for a second when I met his gaze again. Nerves filled my stomach, my mind suddenly swarming with thoughts that he had doubts, that he hadn’t meant to give in to me. If we were back to square one, I didn’t know. I was about to speak, to tell him that whatever it was, he could tell me. He looked nervous, gnawing on his bottom lip as he debated whether to move or not.

And then he did something he never had before. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against my forehead, his hand holding the back of my head in place. Not that I would’ve moved, anyways. The realization hit me a moment later. Malfoy had been listening when I mentioned Blaise and Katie, though I had thought he was ignoring me. He had seen Blaise kiss Katie’s forehead in a comforting manner time after time, and maybe it was foolish of me to think so, but maybe he had thought about doing the same to me. All he needed was my reassurance.

I felt his lips curl into a smile against my forehead, a small laugh rolling upwards from deep within his chest. His laughter was contagious, the two of us soon falling into a fit of giggles as he pulled me into a tight hug. I held him tightly, burying my face into his collar. With a squeeze of my shoulders, he pulled back, muttering something about the potions homework.

Before I let him get too far, I lifted myself onto the balls of my feet and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. He chuckled and shook his head playfully, turning around to snatch his bag before sitting at the table alongside me. He hadn’t started it either, clearly planning to have done it with me.

“You’re trying to write with that again?” he eyed the brown feather of my quill once I dug it out of my bag. I rolled my eyes, collapsing down on the stool once I had laid out my parchment.

“I’m saving the rest of yours for an exam, God knows I’ll need it then,” I sighed, tossing the quill onto the cover of my textbook in a huff. I turned to look at him, but he was rifling through his bag. A moment later, he produced two quills, though one had a full stock of ink. Malfoy kept one for himself, handing me the other.

I took it hesitantly. “Malfoy, I can’t take another one from you-”

“It’s fine, Wilkinson. Just take it, I want to finish the homework before the morning,” he joked, shaking his head as he opened his textbook. I twirled the quill around between my fingers, the tip slightly weightier than the one of my hawk quill. It was a quality writing instrument, and I felt bad continuously taking them from him.

He must’ve picked up on my guilt, as he spoke again without looking at me. “I bought it ‘specially for you, so you better take it.”

I snickered, knocking my knee against his under the table. He looked over at the touch, his eyes falling on my forehead once more. Before I could move, he leaned over and pressed another kiss to my temple.

“Now, c’mon. Snape will have our heads if this isn’t on his desk first thing.”

The rest of the night was spent with my legs in his lap as we finished Snape’s assignment, though it took hours as we often got sidetracked with chaste kisses and unimportant stories.

\---

By the time I reached my last class of the first day, which was Potions, I was certain I could recite each professor’s speech on the O.W.L.s word-for-word. Jack, Malfoy, and I had all chosen seats similar to those of last year. Katie was in our class for the first time, deciding to sit alongside Blaise at the table adjacent to ours. Goyle sat on the other side of Jack, since Crabbe was in a different class time. 

Dark Arts was scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays, the first class of the day like it had been last year. I dreaded being taught by Umbridge, as did many other students. She had been a Slytherin during her time at Hogwarts, so the group was hoping she would have a soft spot for us. It was probably a long shot.

As expected, Snape started the period by lecturing us about the importance of O.W.L.s. I rolled my eyes, making Jack snicker as we exchanged glances over the table. Sitting far enough in the back, we should be hidden from Snape’s watchful eye. 

“The importance of your exams this coming June is big enough to remind you all now. In ten month’s time, you all will be required to recall the information you have learned over the past five years on the composition and use of various potions,” he addressed the class, beginning to pace up and down each aisle. As he passed our table, he eyed Malfoy and I closely, before his attention shot to a group of giggling Gryffindors an aisle over.

“Until Christmas break, you will learn new potions. Once you return in January, a comprehensive revision of years one through four will commence,” Snape continued, his speech extremely similar to the ones that Flitwick and McGonagall gave earlier. 

I still hadn’t talked to Jack about his encounter with my aunt on the platform, but he hadn’t brought it up since. Selfishly, I hoped he would forget about it for a while, giving me time to brew up a solid explanation. He had kept so much from me last year, and although my parents’ death wasn’t near as bad a secret, I still felt guilty for not telling him.

The rest of the day was spent brewing the Wit-Sharpening potion, which I was appreciative of; the procedure was freshest in my memory. Malfoy and I got to concocting, Jack and I walking to the supply cabinet together as Malfoy retrieved his cauldron. My lips hadn’t stopped tingling since we had kissed last night, and the grin couldn’t be wiped off my face either. And Jack held the caterpillars to his eyebrows again.

Given our natural ability to work together, Malfoy and I finished the potion first, earning Slytherin ten points. Snape had peered into our cauldron, a small eyebrow raise telling us he was surprised after a long, academically-stagnant summer. Malfoy turned in our summer assignments together, the two rolls the first ones on Snape’s desk. Getting distracted far more than usual, we had stayed in the classroom until just past three in the morning. 

I had decided to trade breakfast this morning for an extra few minutes of sleep, so Malfoy had brought me a muffin in our first class, Charms. Flitwick was one of the few teachers who permitted eating, though he made certain we cleaned up after ourselves.

Quidditch tryouts had unusually been scheduled for the first day back, so Katie and I sat together on the grass to watch, like we had last year. Blaise had decided to give it a shot, joining the boys on the field. His mother had bought him a broom a few years back, but Mr. Malfoy would most likely replace it if Blaise made the team.

The early-September weather was still fully reflective of summer, the warm sun beating down on us as we watched. I had heard that Crabbe’s parents barred him from the team, wanting him to focus on his O.W.L.s instead. The newcomers on the field were not extremely recognizable, though a few older boys’ faces looked familiar.

Katie and I gossiped as the tryouts took place, the scrimmage not as exciting as the matches were. As the previous captain, Malfoy hovered high above, watching the others on their brooms. I was certain he would keep Jack, Goyle, and Pucey, since Warrington and Montague had graduated. That left three open spots, though I was sure Malfoy would give one to Blaise. 

He looked extra handsome in his quidditch robes, the sweater underneath a carbon copy of the one that was folded in my dresser. His father must’ve gotten him another one once he realized that went “missing” as well. I remembered him eyeing it at King’s Cross last June, though I supposed Malfoy could’ve fed him a white lie about why I was wearing it. The train was cold, something along the lines of that.

Malfoy leaned back, gripping onto the handle of his broom with one hand as his other shielded his eyes from the sun. The brooms were different from the ones the team had in our third-year, so I assumed his father must’ve bought a new stock sometime this summer. Those who were on the team last year had identical brooms, though newcomers were flying on personal ones.

Given the relatively large number of spots open, tryouts were fairly busy. Malfoy grouped the students by year, sending the first-years up first. Part of me felt bad, already knowing that Malfoy wouldn’t give any of them a proper shot. He wouldn’t let anyone on the team who was younger than he was when he joined.

I couldn’t lie and say he didn’t look hot, commanding the group of students around. His hair was pushed back from his face, his gloves tucked under one arm as he nearly ripped the head off a second-year for coming late.

An hour and a half later, seven boys were celebrating in the middle of the field as the rest of the group sulked away to the locker rooms. Katie and I stood at Blaise’s call, his arm waving through the air to tell us to join. We jogged over, Malfoy turning at our approach.

He had remained in his dual position as captain and Seeker. Jack stayed as a Chaser, Blaise and a new sixth-year joining him. Goyle and another newcomer were chosen to be Beaters, and Pucey held tight as Keeper. After a quick announcement about practice times, Malfoy dismissed the group. Gryffindor was scheduled to have their tryouts after ours, and Malfoy had already edged into their time slot, much to Angelina’s annoyance.

The rest of the team walked ahead, Katie skipping alongside Blaise as she pestered him about playing safe and by the book. He was a stickler for rules, though, so I doubted Hooch would ever call a foul on him. Jack or Malfoy, on the other hand…

“A new Weasley’s trying out this year, hm?” Malfoy laughed as we passed the group of Gryffindors. Ron had a helmet on, so I assumed he was trying out for Keeper. Pucey didn’t wear one, though, so I was slightly confused. I ignored it, not caring that much about quidditch. Malfoy slowed to a stop, a smug smirk on his face as he looked between Angelina and Potter.

“Now, why would anyone want to put a Flying Charm on a moldy old log like that one?” he continued, raising his chin towards Ron’s broom. Little did he know, I had flown it at the burrow this summer, Ron wanting to trade and take mine for a spin. I tried to slip Ron a sympathetic look, but he was staring at the ground. “Any ideas, Wilkinson?”

I rolled my eyes, refusing to give him the answer he desperately wanted. Fred and George snickered at my response, causing Malfoy’s gaze to snap towards them. Ron took advantage of the distraction and pushed off with Potter, the two flying high towards the goalposts.

Angelina glared at Malfoy, who only snorted as she ushered the rest of the team away, yelling at some newcomers to follow behind. I turned first, walking towards the locker rooms without nudging Malfoy. He quickly caught up, grasping his broom tightly as he matched my stride.

“You don’t have to be so mean, you know,” I sighed, yanking the door of the locker room open. Jack and Blaise’s voices were carrying through the hallway, Katie’s laugh following just after. Malfoy rolled his eyes, but didn’t say anything more. I figured he still had a tinge of jealousy towards Ron, but I didn’t consider it to be an excuse.

Katie and I left the boys, wanting to wait outside as they showered. The locker rooms were a bit stuffy, though they didn’t smell as bad as I had imagined. 

“Oh, Blaise as a Chaser! Can you believe it?” she gushed once we sat on a bench, one hand placed over her heart as she swooned. “He looks so good in those robes.”

I chuckled at her excitement, tucking my hands under my thighs as I swung my feet back and forth. They just barely skimmed the stone ground, the soles catching slightly every so often. We started to whine about O.W.L.s, already nervous for the intensity of classes. Although we didn’t mention it, we both knew the rise of You-Know-Who was placing an additional stress over the school. On top of that, I had never seen a new professor receive such a cold welcome as Umbridge did. Should be quite the year.

Blaise was out first, a few water droplets still on the back of his neck as he approached. The new robes Malfoy had given him were draped over his shoulder, smiling widely as Katie jumped up and pulled him into a hug. 

“They’re still showering, should be out soon,” he told me, referring to Jack and Malfoy. I could hear Blaise’s stomach grumbling from where I was standing, so it was no surprise when he excused Katie and himself for the Great Hall. Waving goodbye, I watched as they disappeared down the hallway, eventually taking the turn towards the middle of the grounds.

Five minutes later, I was still sitting on the bench. There had been no sign of anyone, even Mrs. Norris, who was usually slinking around in the shadows. In the case that something was wrong, I stood, tip-toeing into the locker room. I could hear one shower running in the far back corner, hidden away behind rows of curtains, so I wasn’t afraid I would see anything I wasn’t meant to.

Jack was humming to himself as I approached, poking my head around the corner. He had his back to me, his trousers hung on his hips while his torso was naked. His hair was still damp, a few stray droplets rolling down his back. I felt weird about it, so I turned on my heel, but he had already seen me.

“Olive?” he called, and I turned back around, plastering a smile on my face. 

“Sorry, I was just seeing if you guys were ok-” I started, but my gaze fell to the black ink on his forearm and my words dissolved into the air. He hadn’t realized it was facing towards me, and his eyebrows furrowed when I stopped talking. My lips parted as my eyes swept over the mark, Katie’s words about You-Know-Who flooding my head. Jack had the Dark Mark, and from the looks of it, it was brand-new.

Jack followed my gaze, immediately turning his forearm inwards to press against his stomach. But it was much too late, the image was already burned into my mind. I hadn’t heard the water turn off, Malfoy rounding the corner as he ran a towel through his hair. His eyes widened as he saw me first, obviously confused as to why I looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

I wasn’t totally sure why, but Jack voluntarily offered his arm to Malfoy, showing him the mark. It was like over all the differences the two had, there was one thing in the common. And Jack had gotten the horrendous privilege first. Malfoy’s eyes went as wide as dinner plates, the towel draped over his head as he abandoned drying his hair. Normally, I would’ve giggled at the sight of it, but the air around the three of us was too heavy to even force a laugh.

Malfoy’s eyes traced the mark a couple times, before he lifted his gaze to Jack’s, then mine, and then back to Jack. “Did it hurt?” he nearly whispered, the sound extremely quiet in the vast expanse of the locker room. The aisles of the locker room were arranged in the same order as the house tables, Slytherin’s on the far left as you entered from the field. The room was so quiet that I was certain that if someone was standing in the Gryffindor aisle, they could hear.

Jack merely just nodded, swallowing thickly as all three of our gazes met on the mark once more. Malfoy knew his was coming, it was just a matter of time. I left the boys to dress, the three of us walking to the Great Hall in complete silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i cannot think of anything to say which is strange lol
> 
> tell me how your day is going!! my last class got cancelled (yay) but I have a ton of hw to do ugh
> 
> for all my american readers, thanksgiving break is almost here, we can do it!!! my second round of midterms are coming up next week so I might have to slow down on updating, but we'll see what happens


	48. chapter forty-five

Katie and I walked side-by-side to breakfast the next morning. Tuesday gave us a sunny day, the light streaming in through the windows of the Great Hall. Pansy had slept in, already behind on homework not even two days into the term. The boys were sitting at the Slytherin table once we approached, a gap in the bench between Malfoy and Jack.

Malfoy and I hadn’t changed our public actions much since Sunday night, but I still couldn’t help the smile growing over my face as he turned. His eyes caught mine, a smirk tugging the corner of his mouth upwards as well. Katie and I separated as we got closer, her rounding the end of the table to sit on the other side.

“Mornin’,” Malfoy greeted, watching me as I sat down in between him and Jack. Jack was talking to Blaise about quidditch, but he gave me a small head nod in acknowledgement as I slipped under the table.

“Morning,” I chirped, Malfoy taking my bag before I even got a chance to shrug it off my shoulder. He sat it on the ground underneath the bench, resting it against his. We were to have our first Dark Arts class of the year in thirty minutes. She taught the younger students on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and I had overheard them complaining about her in the common room as Katie and I were leaving. I don’t think any of us were looking forward to it.

Like I was incapicitated, Malfoy began to fill my plate with a few chocolate chip pancakes, rolling a red apple to a stop besides my fork. I found it too endearing to stop him, chuckling as I watched. He was nearly halfway done with his breakfast already, but I presumed he would go for seconds before class started. The boy could put down some serious food if he really tried. Plus, he had arranged for a Slytherin practice this morning, so I’m sure they were all ravenous.

“Thank you,” I said through a laugh once he was satisfied with the amount of syrup he had poured for me. The sticky substance had been completely absorbed by every square centimeter of the pancake, and more was pooling at the bottom of the plate. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was overcompensating for his actions on the train. I didn’t care though, we had our talk Sunday night and we left Snape’s classroom totally fine.

“Anytime,” he muttered, too busy with surveying the stack. His hand was still holding the syrup bottle, and before I could stop him, he poured another few tablespoons. 

“Malfoy!” I reached for the bottle to prevent him from pouring any more, but he flinched away as soon as I moved, and my hand was covered with syrup a second later. The others’ conversation had stilled, and I could feel their eyes on the back of my head. Warm and sticky, the syrup creeped down the back of my hand as Malfoy and I froze.

A small snicker came from Jack, clearly finding it funny. It was something that would’ve happened between us in third-year, something small and insignificant, yet amusing. Blaise and Katie were looking as well, Blaise letting out a chuckle.

“Here, Olive,” Goyle offered me a napkin, his arm outstretched over the table. Malfoy glared at him, but I gladly took it and thanked Goyle. It was a silly attempt, as the cloth napkin barely soaked up any syrup. Malfoy eyed my hand as I ran it back and forth under the cloth, a small smirk on his face. He had set down the bottle, and Jack had taken it for himself.

“I have to wash my hands, this is impossible,” I groaned, balling up the wasted napkin and throwing it towards the middle of the table. It hit the tray holding the arrangement of toast, unraveling just a bit. Careful not to touch anything, I climbed out from under the table to stand up. Malfoy was up a second after me, the others looking up at the movement.

“I’ll be right back,” I announced, holding up my hand. Katie giggled, her eyes darting between Malfoy and I. He trailed me like a lost puppy as we left the Great Hall, finally coming to my side once we were out the doors. 

We passed the flyer the twins had put up last night, indicating they were looking for students who wanted jobs. I had noticed it this morning as I entered, slowing down to read it. Katie and I had considered it for a moment, but then figured O.W.L.s would be taking up too much of our time anyways.

“I didn’t mean to,” Malfoy tried as we rounded a corner, heading for the girl’s restroom on the ground floor. I wasn’t sure if he was planning on coming in with me, but he didn’t seem like he was going to leave my side.

“I’m not mad,” I reassured him, an amused huff leaving my nose as I looked at him. Before he could say anything more, I reached up and swiped my finger over his cheek, a trail of nearly-dry syrup left behind. His mouth flew open in shock, before it closed a moment later and he narrowed his eyes at me playfully.

“Real nice, Wilkinson,” he lunged towards me, but I had already anticipated it. A few feet in front of him, my laughs echoed through the otherwise empty halls as I ran towards the bathroom. Malfoy stayed hot on my trail, laughter escaping him as well.

A moment later, we burst into the girl’s restroom. Malfoy seemingly didn’t have a care if there were others inside, chasing me through the door and to the sinks. My legs felt weak from laughing so hard, my cheeks hurting. He came to a stop beside me, flicking the tap upwards so the water could flow. While I washed my hands, he wet his fingers under the faucet, wiping at his cheek. 

As I was drying my hands, he started to fix his hair in the mirror. During his chase, a few strands had fallen out of place, resting over his forehead. I liked his hair like that, though I knew he didn’t. Always wanted to look presentable. Leaning my lower back against the edge of the counter, I watched him as he carefully fussed over his hair. My eyes fell on his bottom lip, which was pulled in between his teeth in concentration. 

He looked over at me, barely turning his head. His signature smirk crept onto his face as he spun on his heel, taking the few strides towards me. Coming to a stop across from me, I felt my heart beat quicken as I looked up at him.

“You look very pretty today,” Malfoy complimented, reaching up to cup my jaw in his hand. I could never understand why, but whenever I came this intimate with him, it always felt like the first time in the astronomy tower. Butterflies filled my stomach as he leaned forward, taking another half-step towards me. 

“Do I?” I murmured, much too infatuated with his nearing lips. My mind went hazy, one hand slipping off the edge of the counter as it began to slide up his chest. He wasn’t wearing his suit, rather dressed in a smart gray jumper and a crisp button-up. The collar was laid perfectly, though the jumper had bunched up in places from the run. 

“Mhm,” he hummed, his thumb swiping over my cheek. My eyelids felt like they weighed tons, but I forced myself to hold his gaze.

“So do you.”

“Pretty?”

“Yes,” I giggled, nodding my head as he rolled his eyes in a playful fashion. His free hand came to parallel his right, holding the other side of my face. But he was taking forever to do what I wanted him to, so I did it for us.

Leaning into him, I pressed my lips against his in a gentle kiss. A chuckle rumbled through his chest, but it was prevented from escaping. I wasn’t sure what had gotten into me, but my hand slipped up his chest and dug his tie out from under his jumper, pulling him closer into me. 

He broke away at the foreign feeling, though a wicked smile crossed his face once he realized. “Much too early,” he teased, and I felt my cheeks immediately flush with embarrassment. He only laughed at the sight, though a gentle kiss to the top of my now bowed head was enough to tell me he wasn’t serious.

A pair of nearing footsteps were heard slapping across the tile, and Malfoy immediately spun around. I figured that if it was anyone younger than us, or older even, he would snap at them to leave. But it was someone that neither of us had anticipated.

“You were right, Blaise!” Katie cackled, a bright smile on her face as she looked between the two of us. Nearly bouncing in excitement, her hands clasped together in front of her chest. Now even more embarrassed, I let my head fall forward until my forehead was resting against Malfoy’s arm. He turned at the feeling, one arm snaking around my back so I could hide my face in his chest. 

Katie bounded back out the door before Malfoy or I could respond, her laughter echoing through the restroom. I could just barely make out Blaise’s response, which was a simple “told you so.” The two returned to the Great Hall, leaving Malfoy and I in the restroom. 

“I suppose it was only a matter of time,” he chuckled from above me, his hand sweeping up and down my back comfortingly. My shoulders shook in a small laugh, eventually having found the situation funny. Katie had clearly been excited to find out, even if Blaise had already suggested it.

“You didn’t have to be so obvious about following me,” I rolled my eyes, finally pulling away from his hold. His hands skimmed down my arms and came to a stop just above my wrists. I hadn’t meant for my words to be accusatory, so I hoped it didn’t come out to be. As always, Malfoy was able to see through me, knowing that I didn’t mean it.

Malfoy tucked his tie back under his jumper as he looked at his reflection, smoothing it out so it looked like it had earlier. I debated it for a moment, but I eventually tugged my necklaces out from under my shirt, letting them rest just underneath my tie. Malfoy looked at me through the mirror, his gaze falling on his ring. Not more than a moment later, an identical smile was on both of our faces.

“C’mon. You have pancakes to eat,” he nodded towards the door of the restroom, and I followed him back towards the main hallway. Before we exited the restroom, though, I tugged his shoulder around, causing him to stumble and look at me in confusion. I gave him a quick kiss, patting his cheek gently before I slipped around him and into the corridor.

He stayed motionless for a second, watching the door swing shut behind me. But, mere moments later, he was by my side as we entered the Great Hall. Katie was waggling her eyebrows as we approached, and even Goyle didn’t look as lost as he usually was. Blaise must’ve told him.

I didn’t know a weight had been on my shoulders, but it lifted knowing that the rest of the group knew about Malfoy and I. Maybe Pansy didn’t, but I honestly didn’t really care. Malfoy and I took our previous seats, all of us falling into a jovial conversation. Blaise started a story about Katie falling on her face in front of the Eiffel Tower, and Katie immediately shot back with a story about him losing all his underwear in the washing machine of their hostel.

The rest of breakfast was filled with laughter and snorts, something that hadn’t happened in a very long time, if ever. Malfoy didn’t feel the need to upkeep his image among us (and only us, mind you), Jack was extremely good-natured given his predicament, and I finally felt at home. No ignoring Jack, no jealousy of Katie and Blaise, no hiding Malfoy’s ring. 

The six of us walked together to the Dark Arts classroom, and my, were we in for a treat once we entered. Umbridge had laced the classroom with pink and white decor, and the door into her quarters was ajar. From what I could see, there were only more hues of pink inside. For such a bitch of a woman, she sure presented herself in a sharp contrast.

She was sitting at her desk in the front, her spine perfectly straight as she eyed each entering student with pursed lips. Aunt Beth hadn’t told me much more than they hadn’t gotten along, but I could see why. Full of herself, arrogant, power-hungry. Everything Aunt Beth despised. 

Jack cracked a joke about her pink cardigan under his breath, causing Blaise to laugh as the group of us found three tables in succession. Malfoy and I sat at the table in between the other two, Jack and Goyle choosing to drop down in front of us.

The classroom was filled with mindless chatter as the rest of the class filed in, finding empty seats to keep for the rest of the year. Malfoy shrugged off his robes, draping them over the back of his chair. Umbridge glanced from each Slytherin to the next, clearly noting who was in her prior house. She must’ve had a seating chart in front of her, as she constantly scribbled with a pink-feathered quill. I didn’t even know they made those.

“Well, good morning!” she addressed us when every seat was filled. She was met with a tired, mumbled “good morning” from a few students, and she immediately clucked her tongue in dismay. 

“That won’t do, now will it?” she waited for another response, but no one gave her one. Malfoy crossed his arms over his stomach, leaning back in his chair. I knew he was fairly smart in Dark Arts, but more so in Potions. “Let’s try again, shall we? I expect a bright, cheery ‘Good morning, Professor Umbridge!’ at the beginning of each class.”

“Good morning, class!” she tried again, and everyone responded to her standards. Umbridge continued the typical first-class housekeeping, ensuring we all had the right textbook. She even emphasized the fragmented teaching we had experienced over the past couple years, much to many students’ annoyance. I still missed Lupin immensely, and I’m sure others did too. 

“For the first half of class today, I’d like you to all read chapter one. There will be no need to talk,” she faced the class with a sugar-sweet close-lipped smile. Nobody dared to groan, and the air was soon filled with the noise of books hitting the tables and the flipping of pages. Malfoy tucked his forearms under the front and back covers of his textbook, already skimming over the first paragraph. I decided to lean back, resting the spine of my copy against the edge of the table as I read. 

The class fell silent, though my attention was caught by Granger’s hand sticking straight into the air. My gaze darted between her and Umbridge, wondering if the professor would take her question. Granger was much too smart to have questions about content on the first day, it must’ve been about something else.

Malfoy glanced up when Umbridge addressed Granger, and the two got into a rather controlled cat-fight. Granger made points about using defensive spells, and as much as I hated to admit it, I agreed with her. I had come to Hogwarts to learn how to become a witch, and given the current climate of the wizarding world, protecting myself was high on my list of priorities. Reading through lecture day after day wouldn’t be very helpful.

“Surely the whole point of Defense Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?” Granger said rather coldly, and a wave of snickers erupted from around the room. Even Malfoy looked amused, his mouth in a surprised frown as he abandoned his book. Nobody was reading anymore.

“Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Granger?” Umbridge’s nasally voice said, one eyebrow arched as she stared at Granger. The two continued to snap back and forth, some other Gryffindors getting involved. The Slytherins knew better, keeping our mouths shut as we watched the show. 

“So, according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord, did he?” Potter scoffed through a shaking voice. He had already cost Gryffindor twenty points, they were definitely in the negatives by now. Maybe Slytherin had a chance this year. 

“Cedric Diggory’s death was a tragic accident,” Umbridge countered, her fingertips holding onto one another in front of her stomach. The air in the classroom was heavy, and I could see Potter visibly shaking as he stared at her. Jack had bowed his head, taking a sudden interest in the text. He probably regretted sitting closer to the front now.

“It was murder,” Potter snapped. “Ask Simmons! He was there, too, in the case you’ve forgotten.”

God dammit, Potter.

Jack’s head snapped up at the mention of his name, shooting Potter a rather dirty look before he glanced to Umbridge. “Mr. Simmons nobly volunteered himself to take Mr. Levski’s place. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Umbridge hadn’t even talked to Jack, but she was already protecting him like a son.

“Now, come here, Mr. Potter,” she continued, and the screeching of Potter’s chair filled the air as he strode to her desk. I looked away, though, seeing as Jack had glanced over his shoulder at the rest of us. Goyle had turned as well, his eyebrows furrowed together. I shrugged, quickly glancing at Umbridge to ensure she wasn’t watching. She was still dealing with Potter.

“She’s certifiably insane,” Malfoy whispered from beside me, leaning over so his lips just barely brushed my ear. I chuckled, though I immediately stifled it by slapping my hand over my mouth. He smirked at my response, sitting upright once more. 

Potter stalked past us, clenching a sheet of parchment in his hand as he left the classroom. While he was gone, we continued to read silently. Malfoy would knock his knee against mine every so often.

The rest of that day’s classes went slowly, the remaining professors still emphasizing the importance of the year. I swore, it was like Dumbledore had passed around a script they needed to recite.

“It’ll help you in determining your career after Hogwarts!” said Professor Trelawney. Jack really did look like her with his quidditch goggles on.

“The practical bit of the exam will be on Kneazles, but don’t tell anyone I said that,” said Grubbly-Plank with a wink, already giving us tips months in advance.

Given the relatively late sunsets of early September, Astronomy had been fairly boring since we couldn’t see any constellations yet. Sinistra had assigned an essay on Jupiter’s moons, but she gave us the class period to start on it. 

For some reason, like it had been so in Herbology last year, Malfoy and I were the only Slytherins in Astronomy. While we sat on the stone floor forming the outline of the essay, I couldn’t keep my gaze from drifting to the spot where we had first kissed. Typically, Sinistra would keep us in the classroom if we weren’t looking at constellations, but she had wanted to perform a quick review of the telescopes and found it too time-consuming to retreat into the castle.

“What’s on your mind?” Malfoy asked, a smirk playing on his lips as his eyes skimmed the text of his book. I scoffed, already knowing that he had a hunch. After the long day of classes, his gel had started to give out like it had two nights ago, his hair slightly messy. 

“You know what,” I sighed, twirling my quill around in my hand as I looked over the diagram of Jupiter’s moons. The rest of the class was busy with their own research, a group of Hufflepuffs sitting behind Malfoy. 

“I don’t think I do,” he nearly sang, clearly wanting to play the role of the instigator tonight. In a huff, I dropped my quill onto the pages of my textbook and looked up at him. We were both seated cross-legged, but our open books and rolls of parchment had forced a few feet between us. My ass was starting to go numb from the stone, atleast class was nearly over. 

“Just how good of a kisser you are,” I said simply, shrugging. Malfoy’s ego inflated, the smirk staying just as pronounced on his face as he leaned forward. 

“Glad you think so, Wilkinson,” his left eyelid dropped in a quick wink and he was upright again a moment later. Part of me was in shock at how brazen and flirtatious he was being, especially in a class full of other students. Maybe it was because we were the only Slytherins, and Sinistra was attending to a group of Ravenclaws, but Malfoy felt comfortable enough to act like this. 

What I was surprised at, though, was the gathering of students in the common room when Malfoy and I returned from Astrology. The inclusion of the bubblegum-pink cardigan in the middle of the room was just as jarring.

I followed Malfoy around the circumference of the crowd, the two of us coming to a stop near Jack and the others. Katie was on her tippy-toes, peering over the heads of other Slytherins as she waited for Umbridge’s announcement.

“It has come to my attention that the incorrect fifth-years were chosen as prefects,” she started once every Slytherin from each year was standing around her. It was a tight fit, so my back was pressed up against Malfoy’s chest. He rested his hands on my shoulders, his thumbs swiping over my shoulder blades. 

“But-” Sadie, a brand-new prefect, began, but Umbridge cut her off like she had the Gryffindors in Dark Arts earlier. 

“Professor Umbridge!” she called, her high-pitched voice sending a jolt of pain through my ears.

“Professor Umbridge, Dumbledore and Snape chose Liam and I last June,” Sadie rephrased as she took a step forward. Liam, who had been chosen to fill the boy’s role, stood alongside her. I didn’t know Sadie well, but we had had classes together in the past. She seemed responsible, which I’m sure was Dumbledore’s reasoning.

“He very well did, but he chose incorrectly. Do I make myself clear?” Umbridge repeated. Sadie looked confused for a moment, but she eventually shrugged before turning to frown at her friends.

“Now, I’ve been given permission to choose correctly. And these changes will be effective immediately, so Sadie, Liam, if you two would give me your badges,” her hand waved through the air impatiently, and Sadie sighed as she began to unpin her badge. Liam stopped her, grabbing her wrist as he scoffed.

“Professor Umbridge, I don’t believe you have the right to do this-”

“Ten points from Slytherin,” Umbridge immediately countered, like she had the threat up her sleeve the whole time. The rest of the students groaned, and I felt Malfoy’s grip tighten on my shoulders. I leaned backwards into him, letting him know I was there more so than physically.

“The badge, Liam. Promptly,” Umbridge moved Sadie’s badge to her free one, snatching Liam’s once he reluctantly held it out. “Mr. Simmons and Mr. Malfoy, I believe you two will be much more of assistance to the Slytherin house.”

Malfoy’s hands stilled on my shoulders, indicating he was as surprised as I was. Jack turned around to shoot Malfoy a look, but the two only looked at each other in silence for a moment. Knowing better than to disobey Umbridge, Jack shuffled through the crowd, gently moving a couple first-years out of his way. Malfoy followed him, leaving his bag at my feet. Honestly, I was surprised when Malfoy hadn’t been chosen for the prefect role. His father was one during his time at Hogwarts, and I was certain Snape would’ve tried to sway Dumbledore’s decision. 

I doubted either of the two would ever take points away from other Slytherins, the entire house wanted to beat Gryffindor this year. But as I watched Umbridge pin the badge onto Malfoy’s robes, I realized that he had even more power over the younger students, one that I couldn’t be certain he would implement properly. I had only gotten in trouble with a prefect once in my third-year, but he simply gave me detention under Snape. Malfoy, on the other hand, would abuse the superiority more than that prefect did.

Even still, Malfoy held a shit-eating smirk on his face as he eyed Umbridge’s fingers while she pinned the badge. When she moved onto Jack, Malfoy glanced over at me, and I gave him a weak smile to which he grinned largely at. 

“Isn’t there supposed to be a girl-” Blaise started, but Umbridge immediately spun on her heel to see where the voice had come from. He bit his tongue, his eyes wide as she narrowed hers. 

“Like I said in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Mr.?” she paused, allowing Blaise to answer.

“Zabini.”

“Well, Mr. Zabini, if you would like me to listen to whatever you have to say, you must start your question with Professor Umbridge.”

Blaise sighed in annoyance, rolling his eyes. “Professor Umbridge, isn’t there supposed to be a girl prefect? Last I checked, both Malfoy and Simmons aren’t,” he repeated, throwing in an extra few words that stirred a collective snicker throughout the common room.

“Things will change around Hogwarts this year, Mr. Zabini, and I do hope you get used to it,” Umbridge gave with one last huff, turning around to face Malfoy and Jack as she abandoned the small argument.

The unofficial meeting was quickly adjourned, and I hoped I would never have to see that woman in our common room ever again. Katie rubbed Blaise’s back comfortingly, mumbling small reassurances into his ear. Umbridge had pissed him off, so the two ducked out of the common room for a quick walk around the grounds.

\---

The rest of the week went by quickly, and the group spent nearly the entire weekend in the quad, soaking up the last few rays of warm sunlight. Grubbly-Plank had predicted an early fall, and was already preparing the transfer of classes to a new room inside the castle. Jack and Blaise were trying to talk Malfoy into a small pickup game of quidditch, but Malfoy claimed he didn’t want anyone getting hurt before the first official match of the year. “Besides, we have practice tomorrow morning, anyways,” he retorted as he was laying back on the blanket, one forearm thrown over his face to shield it from the sun.

For Dark Arts the following Tuesday, Umbridge had already assigned an ungodly amount of homework. Two essays that reviewed the first two chapters of the book, and a small list of questions she had prepared. At first glance, it only had three questions, but each one had ten parts at the very least.

Most of Monday afternoon was spent in the common room, the group completing the homework together. Blaise claimed he didn’t care about the class anymore, since Umbridge had riled him up so much that one night, but under Katie’s influence, he reluctantly finished the assignment with us. Malfoy sat to my right, his knee never leaving mine for the entire four hours we sat at the table.

Every so often, he would slip his hand underneath and squeeze mine for a split second. Even with the others knowing now, he liked to keep displays of affection in secrecy. I’m sure Katie knew, though, given the grin that always spread across my face each time.

Umbridge greeted us with the usual amount of over-the-top enthusiasm on Tuesday morning. Her pink cardigan was swapped for a rather itchy-looking collared blazer, a black bow on the top of her head. I shuffled into the classroom behind Malfoy, the two of us slipping into our seats moments later. Usually, no matter the class, students chattered before the lecture actually began. Flitwick loved waltzing up and down the aisles, talking with each of his pupils individually, and even McGonagall was known to hand out biscuits from time to time.

But in Dark Arts, especially this year, we were silent as we waited for Umbridge to begin. She waited until every seat was full, like she had on the first day, before she stood up and addressed the class. 

“Wands away, textbooks out, please!” her voice rang through the classroom, though students had already caught on to the no-wands rule. I agreed that it was stupid, but I had tucked my wand into my bag at breakfast. A rumbling of movement echoed between the walls, the sounds of heavy textbooks hitting the table following seconds later. 

“We’ll start with chapter three today. Read along silently, there’s no need to talk,” she announced before she turned. I didn’t see it, but Blaise flipped her off once her back was to him. Katie snickered under her breath, though she immediately tugged his hand down. 

Malfoy and I settled back into the chairs, trying to find a somewhat comfortable position for the period. Though we had only had two classes so far, Umbridge seemed to take a liking to having us read the entire time, rather than actually instructing. How she got the position, I had no idea. 

Both Jack and Malfoy were required to wear their prefect badges at all times, besides when they were wearing their quidditch robes. The material was much too slippery, anyways. Malfoy’s gleamed under the light of the classroom, which made me think he had polished it up sometime this weekend. He caught me staring, a smirk swiping over his lips as he cautiously looked at Umbridge to ensure she wasn’t looking.

“Wanna study in the library later?” he whispered, leaning towards me so his voice would, hopefully, be less noticeable. We both knew “studying” meant talking and stealing small kisses for hours on end, but I couldn’t lie and say I hated it. Besides, the assignments got done eventually.

“Miss Wilkinson? Is there something you’d like to share?” I heard Umbridge call from her desk before I even got the chance to think of a response for Malfoy. Laying my textbook against the desk, I sat up straight and shook my head. 

“No, Professor. Just talking about the chapter,” I said before the words registered in my brain. Malfoy sighed beside me, clearly annoyed that I had brought him into it. I didn’t care though, he talked first.

“I recall saying talking wasn’t necessary,” Umbridge stood from her desk, slowly making her way down the aisle. Several other students turned as she walked, books long forgotten. Jack and Goyle turned around from in front of us, Jack watching her warily. 

I wasn’t feeling like getting detention, so I decided to plaster a fake smile on my face as she approached. “We used to last year, you see. It must’ve just been an old habit poking through,” I tried, but Umbridge wasn’t having it.

She dropped the subject of Malfoy and I, her eyes suddenly narrowing as they swept over my face. Placing one hand on the edge of our table, she leaned forward. If anyone had still been reading, they weren’t now. Everyone was turned around, watching silently as she spoke.

“Beth, your aunt, worked under me two years ago, isn’t that right?” she questioned. I nodded, the overly sweet smile still on my face. The muscles in my cheeks were starting to burn from clenching my jaw so tightly. 

“Yes, Professor Umbridge.” I decided to leave out the part where she wished Umbridge would burn in the lowest circle of hell.

“What a shame it is, what happened to your parents. And to leave behind such a young daughter, I couldn’t imagine,” she shook her head, and my eyes went wide. Each and every student in the class was now fully hanging onto every word that was coming out of her mouth. Malfoy stiffened next to me, his fingers tightly gripping the sides of his textbook. 

Umbridge’s right eyebrow was arched as she stared down at me, a smug smirk on her lips. She had snapped at Potter last week, not believing him about You-Know-Who, but she hadn’t crossed a line like this.

Given her choice of words, no one had to guess what she meant. My parents were dead, and I had kept it from my friends. I couldn’t see them, much too focused on the witch in front of me, but Katie and Blaise were watching me with surprised faces. Jack’s matched theirs as well.

“You bitch,” I muttered under my breath. Her eyes widened the second my words registered in her mind, but I was so far past caring. She looked like she was at a loss for a response, her mouth opening and closing in quick succession. Malfoy let out a small snicker beside me, much like he had at the dinner table this summer. A murmur traveled through the classroom, but I never once broke my gaze from Umbridge’s.

Honestly, the response she eventually came up with wasn’t as bad as I had expected.

“You have just earned yourself a month’s worth of detention, Miss Wilkinson.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okie so I’m not at a writer’s block, but I just wanted to ask you all for small, fluffy things you want to happen this year!! Like tiny things that don’t have much to do with the plot, but rather filler scenes that you would want to read :) hopefully that makes sense lolol
> 
> Omw to get a peppermint mocha now bye enjoy!!!


	49. chapter forty-six

Rumors of the extent of Umbridge’s detention had been spreading around the school like wildfire. So far, only Potter, a Gryffindor first-year, and I had been given detention, though I was expecting the list to grow longer. Every student resented her, and the same could be said for the professors. McGonagall made her dislike abundantly clear through her facial expressions, but she never said anything in Transfiguration.

Even Snape, who had been pining for the position of the Dark Arts professor for years, refused to give his opinion of Umbridge. The other Slytherins and I had thought we could get something from him, given he was our head of house after all, but he didn’t comment. Rather, he shoved Jack and Goyle’s heads towards the table, commanding they continue on their potion.

Umbridge had dropped an envelope on my desk before the end of the class, instructing me to pass it along to Snape. So, once Dark Arts was dismissed, Malfoy and I walked to the dungeons together. Katie wished me good luck, a look of sympathy in her eyes before she turned to join Blaise. Divination followed Dark Arts, and as much as I told Malfoy he shouldn’t skip it for me, I couldn’t shake him off my side.

“I can’t believe she said that,” Malfoy muttered under his breath, looking at me as we walked. The halls were mostly quiet, a majority of the students already in their second class of the day. I hadn’t gotten the chance to talk to the others about my parents’ death, and I was dreading it. It’s not that I would’ve kept it from them for another two years, but I would’ve been allowed to tell them on my own accord. After I had told Malfoy, it seemed easier to talk about. To make matters worse, the rest of the class also knew, and God knows who they would tell. 

“Did you hear what Potter’s punishment was?” I asked as we skipped down the staircase. Malfoy shook his head, shrugging once his feet hit the stone ground of the dungeons.

“I’m not sure, he’s the only one who got detention last week. I reckon something real bad, though,” Malfoy had a small smirk on his face as he thought about Potter possibly being in pain, but it quickly dropped once he remembered that I would be in her office tonight. Before we could reach Snape’s office, he pulled me off to the side as his fingers wriggled into my closed fist, trying to find the note. 

I hadn’t looked at it yet, I wanted to get out of that classroom as soon as possible. The letter fell easily out of my grip, Malfoy sliding his finger under the adhesive until the envelope popped open. We huddled together in the shadows of the dungeon as he read it aloud.

“Dear Professor Snape,

This letter is written to you as you are Miss Wilkinson’s Head of House. Please excuse Miss Wilkinson from any activities from six o’clock on, starting tonight until 9 October. I have given her detention following her behavior in my class this morning. If you would, please lecture her on why calling her professor a “bitch” is not acceptable. I presume you will have your personal preference of punishment. Please note detention does not include weekends.

Thank you,

Professor Dolores Umbridge”

Malfoy and I were silent for a few moments, my cheek nearly pressed against his shoulder as my eyes swept the letter over and over. The parchment was stained an ugly pink color, though the ink was black as night. Her handwriting was frilly and curly, a stark contrast to her personality.

“This is ridiculous,” he snapped, his fingers gripping the edges a little too tightly and causing the parchment to wrinkle. I didn’t know what else to say, so I listened to his labored breathing as he reread it in his head. 

“Let’s just go to Snape’s, we can’t skip all of Divination,” I sighed, reaching up to take the letter from him. But Malfoy lifted it higher into the air, out my reach. I gave him an exasperated sigh, my head tilting as I looked at him.

“She can’t do this to you! Potter only got a week, and he basically got into a fist-fight with her in the classroom! And the rest of the Gryffindor house got involved too,” he retorted, but I managed to grab the letter from him when I jumped high enough. “You didn’t do anything, you barely raised your voice!”

“I can’t do anything about it, Malfoy. Maybe Snape can, though,” I suggested, taking a few steps back out of the shadows and towards the classroom. “If we go.”

My tone was sassier than I had meant for it to be, and Malfoy’s frustration eventually gave way to a small chuckle. After a dramatic sigh, he followed me down the hallway, and I refolded the letter so it looked as it had when Umbridge gave it to me.

Snape was inside his office, we had managed to come during his free period. Stacks of parchment already lined his desk, a small working space available as he graded. Malfoy cleared his throat once we were in the doorway, and Snape looked up at the noise. He rolled his eyes when he saw it was us.

“Shouldn’t you two be in class?” his voice rumbled through the classroom, and I meekly slunk towards his desk. Malfoy stayed put by my side, and he watched me like a hawk as I approached Snape.

“Professor Umbridge would like me to pass this along,” I said cautiously, presenting the letter. Malfoy had even performed a sealing spell before we entered, so the envelope looked brand-new. Snape set down his quill and took the letter from my hand, sitting back in his chair once it was in his grasp. He used the tip of his wand to slice the envelope open while Malfoy and I watched.

His hand was on my back, his thumb swiping back and forth in a comforting manner. I wasn’t nervous anymore, I don’t think anything Snape could say would make me angrier than Umbridge had. Silently, Snape read the letter, his eyebrows raising once he reached the end. Probably the bitch part.

“You called Professor Umbridge a-” Snape took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a brief moment. They opened a second later, staring at me with an arched eyebrow. The back of his hand rested against his desk as he sighed, the letter still unfolded. “Bitch?” Sheepishly, I nodded, my fingers playing with one another in front of my stomach.

“Wasn’t my best moment, Professor,” I noted, and a near smirk of amusement crossed Snape’s face. He tossed the letter on his desk, letting it get lost with the rest of the parchment. He clearly had no use for it anymore.

“I’d say,” Snape said through a sigh, and Malfoy coughed to hide a snicker. He and I both agreed on the walk here, it had been fairly funny in class. Just a pain that I received detention for it. “Just be there promptly at six.”

Some part of me had expected Snape to lecture me on my choice of words, but he refrained. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was mildly amused by the situation.

With a single nod, Snape dismissed Malfoy and I, writing an excuse note for the two of us to give to Trelawney. She never required them, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Malfoy and I bounded up the stairs out of the dungeon, climbing to the upper floor right after. He didn’t seem happy about Snape’s reaction, but I’m sure he was glad I didn’t get another lecture from Snape.

For the entirety of the day, I couldn’t stop thinking about detention. Potter had never mentioned anything, though I had noticed his hand was wrapped in gauze on Thursday. His last detention had been last night, though, so I doubted I’d see him later. Malfoy never left my side until we entered the Great Hall for dinner.

At the Slytherin table, the team was already dressed in their quidditch robes. Malfoy had set for practices to run from six to eight in the evenings, so although he couldn’t walk me to Umbridge’s, I hoped he could be there after. I wasn’t sure on how long she was planning to keep me, however.

I picked at my food, the nerves taking up too much space in my stomach. Potter had passed by earlier, shooting me a quick glance, but Granger soon stole his attention. The two continued down the aisle, eventually taking a right towards the Gryffindor table.

“Eat, Wilkinson,” Malfoy muttered, shoving my plate back towards me. A few minutes ago, I had pushed it away so I had a place to lay my arms on the table. My head soon followed.

“‘M not hungry,” I mumbled, shaking my head. The sheer thought of food was upsetting my stomach, and I figured my lunch from earlier would tie me over. Malfoy rolled his eyes, though he stole my picked-over roll from my plate. Gently, I reached out and ran my finger over the material of his quidditch robes. They draped over the bench, providing me a hard surface to use while I traced my fingertips over the stripes.

They were soft and silky, though I doubted they were actual silk. There was no way the boys could play in those, but then again, Mr. Malfoy sure had the funds. The touch was soothing, the nerves in my stomach slowly dissipating. Malfoy watched me out of the corner of his eye, though he continued eating.

A minute later, as he was still chewing, he reached down and placed his hand over me. He squeezed my fingers together tightly, his thumb slipping underneath my forefinger. Dinner finished much too quickly, and the group separated. Pansy and Katie to the library, the boys to the quidditch field, and I departed on my lonely journey to the Dark Arts classroom.

Malfoy and I hung back by the entrance to the Great Hall, him waving his teammates on. Katie and Pansy had already disappeared as well, and the hallway was empty as everyone had left for their post-dinner plans. I had never wished to be writing an essay more than I did right now.

“It’ll be okay,” Malfoy assured me, his eyes searching mine as his neck craned downwards. I wasn’t as nervous as I had been earlier, now I was more pissed about spending hours with her, and only her. His hand slipped behind my neck in the same instant his lips pressed against my forehead. My eyes fluttered shut at the touch immediately, leaning into him. A second too soon, he pulled back, his gaze darting around the hallway behind me. Probably to make sure no one saw, I assumed.

“Come find me after practice, okay?” I asked, reaching up and straightening the collar of his sweater. It was slightly lopsided, so I tugged one side down as the other side was pulled upwards. My hands smoothed over his shoulders a few times, flattening the bunched up fabric.

“I’ll be there,” he promised, and with a twirl of green-and-black robes, he was gone. I knew Malfoy had wanted to walk me to Dark Arts, and he probably could’ve floated it, but Hooch required him to be the first on the field as captain. She was overseeing practices for the first couple months, wanting to ensure each house was preparing fairly. The first game wasn’t scheduled until November, though part of me expected Umbridge to cancel it just because she thought she could.

It was only just past five fifty, which gave me a little less than ten minutes until I was needed in her office. As I approached the classroom, I could see two tall, familiar looking figures flanking a small first-year. Fred looked up first, George following his gaze a moment later. A timid Gryffindor was sitting between them on the bench, tears streaming down his face as he clutched his hand tightly. One of the twins had taken a napkin from the Great Hall and tied it around the small hand. The poor boy must’ve gotten blisters from writing for so long.

“Hi, guys,” I said gently, coming to a stop across the three of them. Fred gave me a sympathetic smile, George trying his hardest to comfort the child.

“It’ll heal in no time, I guarantee it,” George unknowingly put on his retail voice, the same one he had used this summer when he was trying to sell me one of their products. It managed to coax a shaky laugh out of the boy when he pulled an Extendable Ear out of his pocket. He quickly taught the boy how it worked, letting Fred pull me further down the hallway until we were out of earshot.

“That woman’s insane, Olive,” Fred dropped the nickname, which told me he was serious. “He made Harry write lines, which doesn’t sound bad until you hear that her quill wrote with his blood!” 

Fred’s eyes were wide, and mine matched his a moment later. There was no way this was legal. I found myself sounding more like Malfoy as I digested Fred’s words, which nearly made me laugh. “I can’t believe Dumbledore is letting this fly,” Fred continued, glancing over his shoulder at George and the boy. George had thrown the ear across the hallway, letting the boy reel it back in. Small sniffles eventually turned into giggles, and a grin wiped across George’s face as he watched.

“She’s awful,” I agreed, shaking my head as I turned my attention back to Fred. I had five more minutes now, and I didn’t dare be late. “I better go.”

Fred nodded. “George and I will be here, we don’t have anything better to do,” he joked light-heartedly, like waiting for me was such a burden. I was about to tell him he didn’t have to, that Malfoy would be here, but Umbridge had stepped out of her classroom. She couldn’t have expected me to show before six.

I gave Fred a small wave as I turned, jogging to round the corner. Umbridge had retreated into the classroom once she saw me approached, though her foot was still tapping the ground impatiently.

“Miss Wilkinson,” she greeted with a curt nod of her head, and I responded similarly. I followed her up the small staircase and into her office. In third-year, I had only been in Lupin’s office once when I needed assistance on an essay, and I nearly threw up at the stark difference from then to now. All shades of pink covered every square inch, even the upholstery of the chairs. The drapes were now an atrocious pink and cream pattern, and moving images of kittens on china plates were arranged in rows on the walls.

Umbridge came to a seated position behind her desk. “It seems as though, given the surprise of your peers, the death of your parents was not well-known?” she asked, but her words were seeping with venom. Her head nodded towards the chair that sat opposite her desk, and I took it as a cue to sit. My bag hit the ground seconds after, the sound echoing through the small office.

“No, Professor,” I responded through gritted teeth, my hands clenching into fists on my lap. I hoped they were concealed by her desk. 

“However will you expect to be placed with a foster family? Nobody wants a lying child,” her fingers interlocked with one another, her forearms resting along the wood.

“I’m quite content living with my aunt,” I forced myself to say, refusing to give into her. She pursed her lips, her eyes scanning my face. 

“Well, I suppose lines will suffice as a punishment,” she exclaimed, swiftly pulling a drawer open. A sheet of pink parchment was laid across from me, a black quill following just after. I picked up the quill hesitantly, weighing it inconspicuously in my hand. It was much heavier than Malfoy’s, and the entirety of the quill was jet black. It was rather skinny though, the shaft of the quill quite long. 

“Um,” I bit my lip, my gaze darting between the quill to the parchment, and then up at Umbridge. A smile was placed on her face, though I knew it was an extremely fake one. “What do I write, Professor?”

“I want you to write ‘Orphans must not lie.’”

It took every ounce of self-restraint in my body to not launch myself over her desk. As much as every rational thought told me she couldn’t be serious, I knew she was. The woman was the embodiment of pure evil, and I just knew that Aunt Beth, if she ever found out about tonight, would rip Umbridge a new one.

“How many times?” I questioned coolly, nonchalantly twirling the quill around my fingers. I didn’t care if she wanted a hundred or a thousand, I would do them all just to spite her. 

“Oh,” she clicked her tongue. “However many it takes for the message to sink in.”

I would write until my palm was covered in blisters. “Do you expect me to use my own ink?” Leaning over, I began to rifle through my schoolbag until her shrill voice interrupted me. 

“You won’t need any, dear,” she said like it was painfully obvious. My eyebrow arched, my gaze landing on the array of inkpots she kept in an orderly fashion on her desk. It couldn’t possibly be the same quill Potter had used. “Off you go now.” 

She turned to a stack of parchment, no doubt the homework assignment we had turned in this morning. I stayed motionless for a second, but the tip of the quill eventually pressed against the parchment.

No ink came out as I drew the ‘O,’ but I gasped as a searing pain circled on the back of my hand. My dominant hand coming to a pause, I watched in horror as a shallow, thin O-shaped cut appeared counterclockwise on my skin. A dark red circle was reflected on the parchment in the same second.

“Everything alright, dear?” Umbridge asked from across the desk, though she didn’t look. I mumbled a quiet “yes” through my clenched teeth, and I finished the word.

With each repetition of the line, I felt tears pool behind my eyes as my hand seared in pain. The cut became deeper, though the feeling became numb by the fiftieth one. I was more hurt by seeing the word ‘orphan’ reappear every fifteen seconds, the outline of each letter sinking into my skin. Ever since my parents had died, I guess I never really considered myself an orphan. I was living with a loving aunt, and I quickly made plenty of new friends at Hogwarts. But I was one, as negative as the connotation of the word was.

I wasn’t quite sure how much time had passed, but I eventually had filled three columns worth on one side of the parchment. Umbridge was still grading, and I cleared my throat to get her attention. She peered over her desk, her eyes landing on my lines.

“Not quite enough, dear. How about the other side?” she questioned, though her gaze had landed on my hand. The blood was beginning to drip down between my fingers, though the polite part of me was trying to keep it from collecting on her desk. My hand stung like hell, and the pain was becoming overwhelming.

I flipped the parchment, writing three more columns of the same line. 

After what felt like an hour, I had finally finished. There were times where I had to write slower, it feeling like I was scratching the bone with the tip of the quill. And others were quite fast and rushed, simply trying to finish the column. Typically, my writing hand became pained as I wrote long paragraphs, but it was nothing compared to this. Seemingly satisfied with my work, Umbridge plucked the quill from my hand. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow night,” was the response she left me with, and I kept my chin up as I stalked through her classroom. I didn’t let the tears fall until I was in the hallway, the pain from the open wound traveling up my arm. The entire limb felt achy and heavy, the back of my hand tingly incessantly. 

“Miss Olive!” Fred’s voice came from across the hallway, where he was leaning up against the stone. Sure enough, he had kept his promise, though George was nowhere to be seen. Fred must’ve noticed my sweep of the hallway as he pushed himself off the wall. “George left to walk the first-year back.”

My hand dangled by my side, a few drops of blood running down my fingers and splattering on the floor. Sniffling, I watched as Fred saw it immediately, crossing the small space between us. He took my hand gently, resting our palms together as he held it. His eyes swept over the line, and it was like I could see the boy’s heart physically break.

“Oh, blimey,” he muttered under his breath, careful not to touch the open wounds. “I wish I would’ve taken two napkins, I gave my only one to that first-year…”

I shook my head, cutting him off as he frantically sifted through his bag. Tears were freely rolling down my cheeks, and I wiped them away hastily with the sleeve of my robe. “It’s alright, Fred. I’m going back to the common room, anyways.”

Fred continued to hold my hand in his, his forehead wrinkling as he read the words over and over. For some reason, ‘orphan’ was the only word to cut deeper than the others, so the most blood was leaking from it. He was one of the few that knew about my parents prior to Umbridge’s class, since he had taken the letter from Errol before Ginny got the chance. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if he had told George.

“Oi!” Malfoy called from further down the hallway, and both Fred and I turned to watch him as he approached. “What the bloody hell are you doing?” he continued once he was close enough, though his gaze was pinned on Fred. A simple smirk sat on Fred’s lips, clearly not intimidated by Malfoy’s jealousy. He let my hand go, turning so he was completely facing Malfoy.

“I’m a prefect, you do realize that right? I should give you detention for roaming the halls this late,” Malfoy snapped, one hand absentmindedly brushing over his robes in hopes to find the badge. He was still in his quidditch robes, though, so the badge was absent.

“Not in those robes, you aren’t,” Fred laughed, picking up his schoolbag and hauling it over his shoulder. He stood nearly a head above me, so he had a few good inches on Malfoy. “Please take care of that for me, Miss Olive.” His lack of timidness, which is what Malfoy usually got from others, nearly made me laugh. He didn’t know it, but Fred had lifted my spirits for a couple fleeting moments.

Malfoy’s head practically exploded at the nickname, and he shot Fred a nasty stare as he left. I rolled my eyes, though I winced as the back of my hand brushed up against the rough wool of my robes. It immediately stung like a bee, shocks of pain jolting up my arm and down my fingers. As if I flipped a switch, Malfoy’s jealousy washed away as worry took over. I let him take my hand like Fred had done, the crease between his eyebrows appearing as he read the words.

“Merlin,” he murmured, his thumb brushing against the bone of my wrist. It was far enough away that he wouldn’t accidentally swipe over the wound.

“I’m fine, it doesn’t hurt that bad,” I lied, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. While I was talking to Fred, the tears had subsided, but they were leaking through again. For some reason, as I was writing, I had gotten used to the pain, but the dull ache of the scratching still lingered. He looked up, his face falling once he saw my glossy eyes. 

“No, you’re not,” Malfoy said after a moment of staring at the cuts. “C’mon,” He tugged me along gently, and I followed him into the nearest bathroom. It was a girls’ one, but I doubted anyone would come in this late in the evening. Malfoy crossed the tile, and I trailed behind him. I watched patiently as he wet a towel and pressed it gingerly against the back of my hand.

It stung at first, a small wince escaping my lips. He immediately retreated his hand, the white towel stained a dark red. “I didn’t mean to do that,” he muttered, worry flashing across his features as he looked up at me. I shook my head, reassuring him that I was fine.

He began to dab ever so lightly, the dampened towel soaking up the blood and also providing relief to my throbbing nerves. We stood in silence, Malfoy extremely determined to clean me up. “Just wait ‘til my father hears about this.”

Malfoy became irritable almost instantaneously, clearly bothered by the punishment Umbridge had given me. “I mean, I don’t care if Potter writes lines until his hand falls off. But you, it’s a different story…” his words trailed off, but I knew what he meant.

By now, my hand was absent of any blood, but the skin was still inflamed and agitated. I wasn’t sure how long it would take to heal, and I was already dreading having to do the same tomorrow night. At that rate, I wasn’t sure if it would ever heal, and deep down, I knew Umbridge’s quill would leave a scar. “I know,” I murmured, pushing myself up on the balls of my feet and pressing a quick kiss to Malfoy’s cheek. He was still slightly sweaty, he must’ve held an intense practice. The team was fairly solid this year, Blaise definitely seemed to learn quickly.

Malfoy leaned into my touch, dropping the towel in the sink and then pulling me into his chest. My bad hand was cradled between us as I nuzzled my face into his chest. “It’ll be okay,” he promised, one hand coming to stroke my hair as he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “I’ll find a way to get you out of this, I swear it.”

We both let out weak chuckles, the sound of Malfoy’s laugh making me feel better. He dotted another few kisses over my head before he finally pulled away.

“Let’s get you back, I’m sure we can find bandages in the common room,” he nodded his head towards the door. It was like he knew that I didn’t want to bother Pomfrey. The prefects were required to keep an emergency kit near the fireplace, but it was rarely used.

He told me what had happened at practice on the walk back to the common room, trying to lighten the mood. The throbbing in my hand had subsided now that he was with me, so I listened happily the entire way. 

“Match against Gryffindor isn’t until November, but you’ll be there, right?” he asked as we were descending the staircase, though his eyes continued to flick towards my hand every once in a while. 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I chuckled, careful not to trip. He was about to respond when Snape rounded the corner, clearly on a mission. Him and Malfoy almost collided, but Malfoy was able to duck out of the way in time. 

“Good evening,” he nodded, about to continue on his way until Malfoy cleared his throat. Snape’s eyes darted between the two of us, and I had unconsciously slipped my hand into my robe pocket. The material brushed against the wound like it had earlier, but I bit back my reaction.

Before he said anything more, Malfoy grabbed my forearm and the two of us struggled with one another until he eventually revealed my hand. I quickly averted my gaze, staring at the stone floor. Malfoy held up my hand, the words still perfectly readable. 

“Can’t you do anything about this?” Malfoy nearly snapped, and I was surprised he was taking such a tone with Snape. “Tell Umbridge you’ll take over her detentions. Something, I don’t know! She can’t go back tomorrow night.”

I had never seen Malfoy so desperate for anything, but I knew he was only letting it seep through because it was just us three. Snape’s eyes glazed over the writing, his face completely emotionless. “I’ll see. You two go back to the common room, it’s past curfew.”

Snape left us with the simple words, and with a twirl of his robes, he was already ascending the staircase. “Completely worthless,” Malfoy muttered under his breath, but I didn’t think he meant it. He tended to say a lot of things he didn’t mean in the heat of the moment, or when something wasn’t going his way. And Snape’s reaction wasn’t one that Malfoy had expected.

I entered the common room first, letting Malfoy follow behind me as I collapsed down on one of the couches. He retrieved the emergency kit from beside the fireplace, beginning to rifle through it as he walked back. I tucked my legs underneath me, watching as he sat down on the edge of the table, the kit set down by his feet a second later. 

He took my hand in mine, letting it rest on his knee while he sifted through the various types of bandages. We were quiet for a few moments. I wasn’t sure what to say, and I don’t think he did either. Once he had found a roll of white gauze, he started to unwrap it as his eyes swept over the line once more. His face faltered like it had the first time he had seen it, his heart aching as the words repeated in his head.

“How’s the team looking?” I asked quietly, deciding to break the silence with a simple question. His cold fingers slipped under my palm gently, and he began to wrap my hand, criss-crossing the bandage on either side of my thumb. I was fairly certain he had done this before, he was much too quick and nimble with it.

“Good, I suppose,” he shrugged, glancing up at me quickly before back down. His left hand was holding my forearm, his right lacing the bandage around. “Blaise is much better than I thought.”

I chuckled with him, the mood lightening between us. The combination of Umbridge’s detention and Snape’s lack of a reaction had sent Malfoy over the edge, and I could tell he was keeping himself from lashing out. If he did, we both knew I would be the one caught in the crosshairs.

“Well, I’ll be at every match to watch you,” I let him lift my hand so he could slip the roll underneath. The conversation about quidditch picked up again, the one that Snape had inadvertently interrupted. A small smirk sat on Malfoy’s lips, but he was still focused with bandaging the cuts.

“You’ve been at every match before, Wilkinson,” he teased, his tone similar to that in the astronomy tower last week.

“I was there to watch you then, too,” It was an honest answer. Malfoy became satisfied with his bandaging job, ripping off the end and tucking it underneath a layer. Holding the roll in his hand, he rested both of his elbows on his knees as he leaned towards me. Our noses were centimeters apart, and if I unfocused my eyes just right, his two morphed into one. It was a funny sight, seeing Malfoy as a cyclops of sorts, so a small giggle escaped my lips. 

Brazenly, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. I hadn’t seen anyone else when we entered the common room, and I was much too entranced watching his hands move to notice anyone walking through. The roll was tossed onto the couch beside me, Malfoy scooting forward on the table. I was certain that if he moved another centimeter, his ass would fall right off. 

Unconsciously, my hands came up to rest on either one of his cheeks, the gauze slightly sticking to his skin. He chuckled at the feeling, and I felt his lips curl upwards against mine.

“Get a room you two!” Blaise called, interrupting our kiss. Malfoy and I pulled away slowly, and I lazily turned my head towards the direction his voice came from. He had just entered the common room, his bag slung over his shoulder and still wearing his quidditch robes. Probably studied in the library after practice. Sticking a finger into his mouth and making a gagging noise, Blaise slunk away into the boy’s wing. But I couldn’t be mad at him, there was something else on my mind.

Malfoy hadn’t pulled away as fast as I expected him to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woohoo weekend time!!!


	50. chapter forty-seven

For the rest of that week, my hand was constantly wrapped in a hefty amount of gauze. It was only taken off when I was in detention, when Umbridge wanted to see the words visibly appear. She had nearly seemed happy when I returned for my second session, accidentally forgetting to remove the bandage before I entered her classroom. A small smirk on her face, she watched as I hastily unwound the bandage and exposed the cuts. They hadn’t healed in the slightest.

Once the beginning of the year craziness settled, Malfoy had scheduled the Slytherin practices on Mondays through Thursdays after dinner. Since Fred had been there for me the first night, much to Malfoy’s chagrin, he was determined to have someone else waiting instead. Usually it was him, but he had sent Crabbe on Wednesday when practice ran over. The walk back to the common room was a bit awkward.

Potter eyed the gauze in class, and although he looked like he had something on the tip of his tongue every time, he never said anything. Ron shot me a small, sympathetic smile when he passed on the way to his desk in Dark Arts, which nearly caused Malfoy’s head to explode. He seemed to still be on edge since the train, and Fred’s presence outside Umbridge’s earlier that week didn’t help. As much as I tried to reassure him the Weasleys were just friends, he couldn’t let himself thoroughly believe it. A tiny part inside me told me Malfoy was more annoyed about me being friendly with the family, rather than actually looking at one of the boys in a romantic manner.

It was Friday, and Malfoy and I were walking back to the common room after my detention. With no practice, he walked me to Umbridge’s and didn’t move an inch until I reappeared two hours later. He had brought his schoolbag, so I assumed he would attempt to get some schoolwork done. It was still clasped shut and laying under the bench when I left the classroom.

My hand was still stinging, though I had rewrapped the gauze the second I left her office. It had bled more this time, and I was extremely thankful for the weekend of rest. I didn’t want Malfoy to worry, anyways. Flitwick had assigned our first Charms exam to be on Monday, and so I was predicting the weekend to be spent studying for that.

“Let me see,” were the first words out of Malfoy’s mouth. I rolled my eyes as I approached, ensuring the end of the bandage was tucked underneath a different layer. He stood up sharply, his gaze never leaving my hand.

Sometime during the last few days, my patience had run extremely thin. I suppose it started with confronting the others about my parents’ death. Blaise and Katie had been extremely supportive of my decision, Katie making sure I knew I could come to her for anything. Pansy was still pissed that Malfoy and Jack had taken over Liam’s role as prefect, so she didn’t want to talk. Jack had, at first, been understanding about the reasoning behind keeping my parents’ death from him. Then, we got into a bit of a screaming match about his lies and my lies, and it was a whole big thing until Malfoy had to pull me out of the common room. 

It was a small argument, one that got resolved not even two hours later. Jack hadn’t left the couch, his books spread out on the table though he hadn’t studied since I left. He hugged me like he had after the Yule Ball, and once both of our pasts were aired, we felt so much better.

There were other, smaller things that had shortened my fuse that week. I had accidentally missed a homework assignment in potions, earning me Snape’s lecturing in front of the whole class. A first-year Slytherin had knocked over my pumpkin juice, which then spilled all over my Transfiguration essay. Before he could even apologize, Malfoy had given the boy detention. 

“It’s fine, Malfoy. Just like every other detention,” I sighed, shoving my hand into the pocket of my robes. He looked defeated for a second, until his expression matched my annoyed one. 

We stayed silent for a few moments, the two of us glaring at one another. 

“I sent a letter to my father,” Malfoy mumbled as we made a turn to the Great Hall. Since it was Friday, dinner was served until later in the evenings. The entire week, I hadn’t eaten much before detention, the nerves never seeming to fade. 

“What? Why’d you do that?” Shocked, I almost came to a stop. Malfoy always threw that threat around, so I had expected him to not go through with it. I hadn’t wanted him to either, Mr. Malfoy’s dislike of me was very apparent after the evening at the manor. “What could he possibly do?” I muttered, rolling my eyes. Umbridge seemed to be latching onto any position of power she could within the castle’s walls, and as powerful as Mr. Malfoy appeared to be, I wasn’t sure if this was a fight he could win. Nobody was daring enough to stand up against Umbridge, at least not yet. 

Malfoy sighed, but it was sharp and filled with attitude. “I’m trying to help you, Wilkinson. Just take it.”

“Oh, shove off. It’s only three more weeks,” I countered, reaching up and clasping the strap of my bookbag with my good hand. My bandaged one swung by my side, the gauze catching on my robes every so often. “Besides, you don’t seem to care about the others getting detention anyways. If your father intervenes, and if the punishment somehow changes, it doesn’t matter. I’m certain that bitch has something worse up her sleeve.”

I hadn’t expected Malfoy to grab my arm so abruptly, pulling me out of the middle of the hallway and against the wall. “I told you that I didn’t want to bring you any harm,” he nearly growled, his hand still wrapped tightly around my bicep. “So let me fix this before you get any more hurt.”

“I can do it myself, Malfoy,” I bit back, my fuse finally lighting. I knew he meant well, but I didn’t want his father getting involved, and he had sent a letter without asking me about it first. He scoffed, letting go of his hold so he could run a free hand through his hair. 

“No, you can’t. You’re just going to go be a goody two-shoes and sit in her office until each and every detention is done. And then what? All you’ve got to remember it by is that scar,” his eyes darted around the hallway as he spoke, finally landing on me. I was glaring at him hard, my mouth pressed together in a firm line. His words insinuated I was too weak to speak up for myself, which hurt more than I would’ve expected them to. So what if I was being a goody two-shoes, I knew better than to oppose Umbridge. Especially given her history with my aunt. Which was why I was in this mess in the first place, anyways.

“I am not a goody two-shoes.”

“Yes, you are. Won’t even tell Umbridge when it gets to be too much. Maybe you do belong with a Weasley,” he shot back through another scoff. We were back to the Weasley thing. I knew he didn’t mean what he said, but the accusation still hurt a bit. The Weasleys were a great family, and I hated that Malfoy consistently demeaned them. Ron had made Keeper for the Gryffindor team, and when Malfoy heard the news, he, Crabbe, and Goyle had started making fun of him for it. 

Malfoy’s comment about Umbridge’s detention rubbed me the wrong way, too. I don’t think he would ever get detention from her, she seemed to take too strong of a liking to him to give him such a thing. Making him a prefect was just the beginning. He would never know how the quill felt, how much shame I felt writing the line over and over.

“Maybe I do. At least their father doesn’t hate me,” I snapped back, not caring to watch Malfoy’s face falter from the hard glare. Spinning on my heel, I changed directions and started walking towards the common room. Malfoy didn’t follow, instead standing alone in the hallway until I disappeared. I was much too angry to cry, so I muttered profanities under my breath until I burst through the Slytherin door.

Jack and Blaise were on the couches, Katie nowhere to be seen. I remembered she had been complaining about classes this week, so I assumed she had taken a nap. In an exasperated huff, I threw my bag on a different couch, causing the two boys to look up. 

“Wh-” Jack started, but he stopped himself as I was struggling to take my robes off. I felt like I was overheating, and the roaring of the fire wasn’t helping. A second later, my robes were on the floor, and I collapsed on the end of the couch. The two boys had been playing a game of chess, the pieces already all over the board. I watched silently as they continued, curled up into the armrest.

I knew I probably shouldn’t have snapped at Malfoy, but I hated knowing that he thought I was some weak thing for him to take care of. His choice of words clearly weren’t thought out, but they still sliced through my heart when he said them. I hadn’t even meant what I said last, that I belonged with a Weasley. Sure, they were charming boys, but I had never taken a more-than-friends liking to any of them. Honestly, I had never talked to Ron until this summer. 

I felt guilty even thinking it, but I wanted Malfoy to know how the quill felt. How it feels to have an invisible scalpel scraping against your bones, and then pouring alcohol into the broken skin.

“Wanna play, Olive? I can take a break,” Blaise offered once their game was done, but I shook my head. I liked watching the two play, they got into entertaining arguments about who was cheating from time to time. Blaise shot me a sympathetic smile, obviously knowing something was off. 

I nestled further into my folded arms as Jack reset the board, the two quickly falling into another game. My eyelids began to feel heavy, and before I knew it, I fell into unconsciousness. Blaise and Jack’s voices were faint, dipping in and out of my ears as I slept. It was an exhausting week, mostly because of the detentions with Umbridge.

When I woke, I could feel that my legs were resting on top of someone’s lap. Stifling a yawn, I raised my head from the armrest, looking down to the other end of the couch. Malfoy was sitting against the other arm, my legs pulled into his lap. I guess I hadn’t felt it while I was sleeping. His head was leaning back against the cushion of the couch, his lips slightly parted as soft breaths escaped. He looked peaceful with his eyes shut, his eyelashes resting gently over his cheeks.

I glanced around the room, careful not to wake him up. Jack and Blaise were gone, the chess set with them. The grandfather clock in the corner read just past one in the morning, and the candles were flickering slightly dimmer than they did during the day. Moonlight streamed in from the windows, casting the pattern of the pane over the floor. 

Looking back to Malfoy, I carefully lifted my legs out of his lap. His right hand, which had been resting on my shin, fell onto his thigh. His left arm was already laid out along the armrest. Part of me preferred him like this, so unknowingly beautiful. All traces of stress and worry were washed away, the perfect curve of his nose illuminated by the moonlight. Plus, he couldn’t say stupid shit when he was unconscious.

I debated leaving, wanting to return to my comfy bed in my dormitory. But I was drawn to him, like I always was. So I scooted across the leather as gently as I could, eventually leaning into his side. A sharp inhale was sucked through his nose as soon as he felt my touch, his eyelids fluttering open. His spine stiffened until he realized it was me, and he let his eyes close once more as he let himself sink back into the cushion. I went with, my head resting on his shoulder.

An audible swallow came from him as he readjusted himself, wanting to make the position comfortable for the both of us. His eyes were still closed, and so I let mine fall shut as well. One hand rested over his stomach, the other trapped between our torsos. His left hand crossed over his body, fumbling over my thigh until he found the crook under my knee and pulled my leg over his.

“I didn’t mean it,” he whispered, cupping the joint of my knee in his hand. His thumb swept back and forth like it always did, the gesture simple but soothing. I felt as his right arm found its place over my shoulders, pulling me into him. “Just wanna protect.”

His sentences were fragmented, indicating that he was too tired to form a coherent thought. Sleep had begun to take over my senses as well, so I nuzzled further into his chest and brought my other leg over his lap. The position wasn’t as uncomfortable as I thought it would’ve been, and I hoped it was the same for him.

“Me either,” I murmured. He knew what I meant.

I don’t remember what else was said, if anything. Him and I slipped away, his hand never once leaving my knee.

\---

Getting Malfoy’s father involved had backfired. On Monday morning, a new notice was posted to the wall outside the Great Hall, indicating that all prefects of each house had to oversee any detentions those in their house received. As Umbridge put it, “such trustworthy individuals should report to their Head of House and compile a list of rebellious students, ones that require additional supervision.”

The new rule obviously wasn’t Mr. Malfoy’s idea, but once Umbridge had heard of his new-found involvement, she decided to heighten the punishments. It was like she knew that no one dared to confront her method of detention, not even the professors. At least half of the Heads of Houses knew about the quill. Snape definitely did, Malfoy had practically shoved the result into his face, and I was certain that Granger and Potter had run off to McGonagall.

My hand had healed a bit over the weekend, though the red, inflamed words were now giving way to a raised, white scar. How long it would last, I didn’t know. After classes on Monday, Malfoy and I had studied together in the library, wanting to get as much schoolwork done as possible. The Charms exam had gone well, though Pansy nearly had a meltdown in class when she couldn’t understand the second question. I didn’t care, she had been annoying me all week. Constantly making jabs about Malfoy and Jack’s new roles, and then cooing to Liam like he was a child.

We hadn’t spoken about the notice all day. We all knew what it meant, that Jack and Malfoy would be joining me tonight. So, when six o’clock struck, the two boys were the first through Umbridge’s doors. I followed behind meekly.

“Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Simmons! Welcome, welcome,” Umbridge gushed, immediately spelling two chairs towards the end of a table. Over the weekend, she had rearranged her office in order to accommodate her new rule. A single table sat against the other wall, near the window, though it had three chairs around. A sheet of pink parchment and the black quill were already placed in front of the chair that faced the wall. Jack and Malfoy would be sitting on either sides of me, and whoever sat on my left would have a better view of my hand.

“Miss Wilkinson, over there,” she directed sharply, her tone immediately taking a turn with me. I could see Malfoy straighten in the corner of my eye, but I ignored it as I crossed the office. My bag was dumped halfway there, falling to the wooden floor. I didn’t care to move it out of the way.

“How is the team, you two? Prefects and quidditch players, how impressive!” Umbridge continued to talk to them, but they both bit their tongues and didn’t answer. I smirked as I sat, my back to them. The parchment was slightly longer than the one last week, and my eyes traced over all four edges as I unwrapped my hand. It still ached over the last two days, like when you get a particularly deep paper cut. 

“It’s fine, Professor,” Malfoy managed to get out through gritted teeth. His voice became louder as he spoke the simple words, indicating that he and Jack were approaching. 

“Miss Wilkinson knows what to do. If either of you two feel queasy, don’t hesitate to step away,” she called from her desk, and I heard the sound of her chair legs moaning as she sat down. My mouth dropped, catching Jack’s gaze for a second. I couldn’t believe that she was giving the boys a way out when I was the one that would be in pain the entire time, and I’m sure the boys picked up on it too. Malfoy scoffed under his breath as he sat, his eyes never leaving the scarring on my hand.

Silently, I began to write my lines one after the other. Over the last five detentions, I had gotten used to the feeling, and it wasn’t as painful as the first time. Jack gasped when he saw the first O appear, watching in horror as I finished the line. He had seen the cuts last week during dinner, but it seemed he was still shocked. I could feel Malfoy’s gaze on my face, the intensity of his stare nearly setting fire to my skin.

Malfoy began to squirm around in his seat as I continued my lines. Jack had eventually looked away, the beads of blood beginning to become too much. My eyes, like they always did, began to fill with tears as I wrote. This time, I couldn’t tell if they were because of humiliation or pain. Both of the boys knew about my parents, so that’s not what I was embarrassed about. It was more so about what Malfoy had insinuated already. I hated feeling weak, especially in front of them.

I couldn’t confront Umbridge, I had to write the lines until I met her standards. I was taking the easy way out, as painful as it was. The rest of the first column was written in silence. Malfoy had chosen the seat on my left, which meant his gaze never left my hand as the skin broke with each swipe of the quill. At some point, Jack had cradled his forearm into his stomach, grasping it tightly as his face contorted in pain. The only sounds in the office were the three of us breathing, and the scratching of Umbridge’s writing at her desk.

Umbridge crossed the room when I had completed one face of the parchment. “Well, what do you think boys? Has Miss Wilkinson met Professor Snape’s standards?” she asked as her eyes swept over my writing. I tried my hardest to keep it uniform, but my letters had gotten sloppier towards the end. The cuts were muddled, each variation of the letter on top of the previous. Streaks of blood were dripping down the sides of my hand, and I let it gather on the wood this time.

“Yes, Professor Umbridge,” Malfoy spoke first, and Jack nodded in agreement. I let the quill rest against the parchment, already reaching into my pocket for the roll of gauze. Malfoy had stolen a new one from Pomfrey’s when she wasn’t looking, as we had depleted the stock in the emergency kit. 

“Very well, then. I’ll see you three tomorrow,” Umbridge dismissed us, and with a flick of her wand, the parchment and quill levitated through the room until it landed on her desk. For some reason, she took a liking to keeping the sheets of parchment from detention. I assumed she had begun a folder for me somewhere. 

Jack stood up first, still pressing his inner forearm to his stomach. I figured it had something to do with his Dark Mark, but I didn’t dare bring it up in front of Umbridge. She didn’t need anything else to use against us. Not that she would against Jack, she seemed to love him.

Malfoy and I followed Jack down the stairs of her office and out of the classroom. Since it was a Monday night, not many students were out, especially in front of Dark Arts. I rewrapped the gauze as I listened to Jack and Malfoy mutter about the detention. Malfoy was still trying to get Snape to do something about it, but after what happened with his father, I think he was hesitant to continue doing so. I think we were at a loss unless something really great got handed to us. 

“Wilkinson! It is Wilkinson, right?” I heard my name called from down the other side of the hallway, and the three of us turned. Ron and Potter were jogging towards us, though Ron had a wary gaze pinned on Malfoy. Who scoffed once he saw the two approaching, immediately placing a hand on my bag. Jack was looking between the two Gryffindors, clearly wondering what they wanted with me.

“Can I speak to you for a second?” Potter asked, his gaze flicking to Malfoy a second later. I began to nod, but Malfoy cut me off. 

“No, we’re bus-”

“Yeah, what’s up?” I interrupted Malfoy, who immediately looked down at me with furrowed eyebrows. Potter had a small smirk on his face, and he nodded towards the side of the hallway. Without a second thought, I followed him and Ron away, leaving Jack and Malfoy standing alone.

“Just tell them I’m asking about detention,” Potter whispered as soon as we were out of earshot. I glanced to Ron, but he simply nodded. “First, I’m really sorry about your parents. I, er, I know how you feel.”

A weak chuckle escaped my lips, which made Potter give me a brief smile. It was an awkward topic to discuss, and the two of us knew it. “Anyways, I can tell you hate Umbridge just as much as the rest of us,” I raised an eyebrow, curious as to where Potter was going with this.

“Hermione, Ron, and I have been thinking of a way to teach the others about Dark Arts, ‘specially since Umbridge won’t do it. I saw Simmons in the graveyard, and I know you know Voldemort’s rising, too,” Potter continued, keeping his voice lowered as he quickly glanced over my shoulder. Malfoy and Jack had surprisingly stayed put, though the two were watching like hawks. 

“We didn’t expect any Slytherins to join, since you all are Umbridge’s favorites and everything, but he,” Potter looked to Ron. “Ginny, and the twins all say you’re the only Slytherin that should. We haven’t figured out all the details yet, but what d’ya think?” he finally finished, biting down on his bottom lip hopefully. I thought about his words for a second. 

There were times where I felt so hopelessly lost in classes. Malfoy had private tutors before he even stepped foot in Hogwarts, and his father was there to teach him any defensive spells he would ever need. Jack, I’m sure, could protect himself if You-Know-Who ever came to the castle, though I don’t think he would ever need to. This summer had made sure of that.

My parents had died knowing I was going to attend a school that would teach me how to defend myself. And if Umbridge wasn’t going to be the one to do so, then I saw no reason why I shouldn’t learn from Potter and his friends.

I nodded before the words left my mouth. “Of course.”

Potter told me a bit more, but more so about keeping it from the rest of my house. I had never really talked to him, but Potter had more trust in me than it seemed Malfoy did at times. 

\---

The next morning, I was greeted with Athena in the morning mail chaos. I had sent Aunt Beth a letter about Umbridge, complaining to her about the detention I received. Since the second attack this summer, the two of us had promised the other to not keep any secrets. I began to read her response, my elbows propped on the table as I held the parchment parallel to my face. 

I completely missed Athena’s assault on Malfoy. 

“Wilkinson! Get your bird!” Malfoy yelped out when Athena nipped the back of his hand, clearly looking for treats. She must’ve still recognized him from our summer letters, and assumed he still had the amphibian treats on hand. In her charge, utensils had been kicked out of the way, and an accidental talon swiped through Malfoy’s blueberry muffin.

Jack and Blaise were roaring with laughter, the two clutching their stomachs as they watched Malfoy try to protect his face from Athena’s incessant pecking. Katie had started to giggle as well, watching the show unfold in front of her. I was frozen for a second, seeing Athena’s wings stretch out in an effort to steady herself as she hopped off the edge of the table and into Malfoy’s lap.

She was very impatient at times, a characteristic I had seen in many owls. Especially Jack’s. “I think you’re in trouble unless you have treats,” I laughed, abandoning the letter by my plate as I stood up. Leaning over the table, I managed to press her wings against her body, lifting her off Malfoy. His trousers looked okay, she hadn’t ripped through them. Holding her tight against my chest, she began to hoot loudly, clearly annoyed she hadn’t gotten one of the prized treats. 

The ruckus had captured the attention of some other Slytherins, the group staring down the table at Malfoy’s mussed hair and scattered breakfast. He was always one to keep himself looking presentable, so seeing him like this was a shock to everyone. Once treated with one of Malfoy’s signature stern glares, the other Slytherins busied themselves with their breakfasts once more. 

Although still very much prissy about it, Athena flew away with the other owls without a treat. It was more amusing than it should’ve been, how she still recognized his face from the summer. A few moments after she left, Malfoy ran back to the dormitories to fix his hair and change his trousers. I thought they looked fine, but he claimed owl dander was all over them.

“What the bloody hell is this?” Jack exclaimed, holding up the Daily Prophet in one hand. With the other, he began to clear the table in front of him, pushing plates and goblets off to the side so he could lay the paper out flat. The group huddled around him, me leaning over his shoulder.

“Ministry seeks educational reform? Dolores Umbridge appointed first-ever ‘high inquisitor’?” Blaise read aloud for us, his eyebrows furrowing as he continued through the headline. I frowned, my eyes skimming through the body of the paragraph below. Jack picked up where Blaise left off, reading the rest of the article aloud for us. Malfoy returned halfway through, dropping down across from me. As he grabbed a new muffin, his ears perked as he listened to Jack. 

“As recently as August 30th Educational Decree Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person,” Jack continued. More Slytherins had gathered around, and I’m sure other houses were doing the same. Umbridge sat at the front of the Great Hall, taking great pleasure in watching the students read through the paper.

“...the Minister put in Umbridge and of course, she’s been an immediate success-”

“Bullshit,” I muttered under my breath, causing Blaise to chuckle. An amused huff left Malfoy’s nose as well.

“Totally revolutionizing the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback of what’s really happening at Hogwarts,” Jack finished the first section. My eyes darted to the moving picture of Umbridge, her evil smile beaming through the paper as she stood in front of the Dark Arts classroom. 

“Well, we all know she wasn’t brought in to be a professor, that’s for sure,” Jack said sarcastically, earning himself a rumble of laughter from the Slytherins. I agreed, I don’t think she had taught us a thing this semester that wasn’t word-for-word from the textbook.

Umbridge’s inspections were to start immediately. From what the article stated, she would be bouncing around the classrooms randomly, taking note of the professors’ ability to teach, as well as the behavior of the students.

The rest of breakfast was spent with more chattering about Umbridge’s new position. Plenty of theories were thrown around, and a rumor started at the Hufflepuff table had already floated around to the other houses. I wasn’t totally sure what to think, but I had a feeling that the one notice outside the Great Hall wouldn’t be the only one. 

Like usual, Umbridge had us read chapters quietly for the first half of class. She had gathered a small lecture for after, though it was essentially the textbook word for word. At least the Prophet had inadvertently nodded to her inability to properly teach.

She kept an eye on me for most of the class, even when she was sitting at her desk in the front. Jack, Malfoy, and I were expected in her office again tonight, and my gaze unconsciously drifted to the open door of her office. Only fourteen more times. 

Umbridge hadn’t made an appearance in any of our afternoon classes, and she was absent from lunch as well. The week, in an academic sense, was slow. No quizzes, no exams, and the homework assignments weren’t that intense. As we were walking out of our last class, Malfoy pulled me off to the side. 

“Let’s go for a walk,” he stated simply, knowing I wouldn’t say no. I didn’t have anything to do anyways, and I’m sure he didn’t either. Since his newly-found required attendance in my detention, he had to reschedule Slytherin’s practice to earlier in the afternoon, which bumped Hufflepuff up a couple hours. We had time, though, so Malfoy and I walked towards the quad.

Eventually, we ended up at the owlery. Athena was sleeping on a perch, Niklaus sitting on another. Malfoy rifled through a trunk, finally finding the bag of treats he was searching for. Giving two to each, I watched as Athena’s prior attitude dissipated and she hooted gently. Malfoy led me back into the open air, and we found a seat on a bench not too far away. The mid-September weather was still fairly warm, the sun beating down on us.

“My father says Umbridge was at Jack’s trial as well,” he said once he sat, his bag set down beside him. I sighed, though part of me had already expected it. Jack’s trial was a large one, one that drew lots of attention from inside the Ministry. Individuals from every department were called, Fudge wanted a variety of opinions.

“Of course she was,” I muttered, and a weak chuckle escaped Malfoy’s lips. That was probably why she chose Jack as the other prefect, before knowing the person he was at Hogwarts. He wasn’t influenced by Ivan or the others anymore, Jack would never do what he did at Durmstrang again. 

“I think it’s a lot worse than what they’re telling us,” he sighed, resting his arm along the top of the bench behind me. I leaned into him, my head resting on his shoulder. He turned his head at the movement, his lips brushing against the crown of my head. 

“Me too,” I agreed, taking a deep breath. 

The second Umbridge had been appointed as High Inquisitor, whatever the hell that was, I knew things were heading south.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> maybe i’m just feeling super sentimental today or something, but I wanted to thank you all SO much for sticking by my side while I’m writing this!! I totally understand how frustrating it can be when you can’t read a fic all in one go (i’m very guilty of that myself lol) and so like truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you SO MUCH for putting up with me lolol
> 
> that being said, i hope you all had/are having a good weekend!! this entire week for me is filled with midterms, so my updating might be a little iffy here and there, but just know I cannot wait until Thanksgiving break next week and then I’ll just write all day every day lol


	51. chapter forty-eight

“You’re kidding me!”

“Does this mean the quidditch season ended before it even began?”

“There’s no way she could do this, right?”

Katie and I were approaching the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, and a cluster of students had already gathered around the wall just outside the entrance. Malfoy and the others were nowhere to be seen, so I assumed they were still back at the dormitories. Potter, Granger, and Ron were all standing in the front, their expressions identical as they read the new sign. Katie and I hurried over, a few students parting the crowd as soon as they saw the crests on our robes. I didn’t notice, though, and I don’t think Katie did either.

“By order of the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, all student organizations, societies, teams, groups, and clubs are henceforth disbanded,” Katie read aloud for the two of us, finally coming to a stop. Potter glanced over his shoulder, shooting me a confused look before he turned back to his friends. 

“Oh, Malfoy’s gonna flip,” I muttered under my breath, realizing that meant the quidditch team would be disbanded. Katie sighed, reading over the notice once more. 

“D’ya think the Herbology club is going to be shut down?” a small second-year asked his friend beside us, the two looking extremely anxious. I turned at their conversation, almost shocked that they were worried about one of the most boring clubs Hogwarts offered. One of them gulped under my stare, and they soon disappeared into the crowd.

“I literally just became president of the Journalism club,” Katie whined, shaking her head in annoyance. There was a small amount of hope I had, that if Umbridge liked the Slytherins as much as she showed, these new rules wouldn’t apply to us. 

“What’s goin’ on?” Jack said from behind me, coming to a stop on my right. Malfoy and Blaise were right behind him, Blaise immediately in Katie’s crosshairs as she began to vent. The crowd had dissipated a bit, though new students were emerging from the hallways and joining. 

I nodded my head towards the notice, and Jack’s eyes squinted as he read it. His mouth just barely moved as he swept over each sentence, and then it was replaced with a frown. “That include quidditch?” he asked, looking to Malfoy as if he had an answer. Malfoy had come to stand behind me, his hands on my shoulders. I felt him shrug, an exasperated sigh leaving his mouth moments later.

“It better not,” Malfoy gave an empty threat, and Jack’s tongue poked into the inside of his cheek as he thought. Blaise and Katie had already gone through the doors, most likely eating by now.

“Whatever, let’s just eat breakfast. Heard Umbridge is supposed to be in Charms today,” Jack muttered, and Malfoy and I followed him into the Great Hall. Students were already buzzing with theories about the new notice, and I saw Potter, Granger, and Ron huddled together at the Gryffindor table.

I hadn’t heard much from Potter since Monday’s detention. I’m sure Umbridge’s new rule would be the catalyst for whatever they were planning, though. I quickly glanced at Malfoy to see if he had noticed me looking, but his gaze was pinned straight ahead as we approached the Slytherin table. Sure enough, Katie and Blaise were already a quarter of the way through breakfast.

Umbridge was in the Charms classroom before Flitwick was. I had never had him for a first-class, but I had come to know that he tended to oversleep from time to time. And today probably wasn’t the best day to do so.

Most of the class was seated by the time Flitwick entered, though not a single strand of hair on his head was out of place. He briskly walked down the aisle, holding his composure well under Umbridge’s watchful eye. Once he stood behind his desk, the students settled like normal, all conversations dwindling away. 

“Good morning, class! Today we have,” he turned around and gestured towards Umbridge with an open hand. “Professor Umbridge sitting in. We’ll continue our review on the Severing Charm. Wands at the ready, if you all will.”

He was met with a shuffle of schoolbags and robe pockets, and a second later, every student was grasping their wands. With a wave of his, cloth handkerchiefs floated onto our tables with dotted cutting lines. Umbridge began to scribble on her clipboard, the sound of her quill scratching against the parchment incredibly loud. Flitwick had opened his mouth for further instruction, but got distracted by her sudden, heated writing and turned. She didn’t notice at first, hunched over until she flicked the end of her sentence. 

The entire class was staring at her when she finally raised her head, Flitwick included. “Oh! Do continue, Filius. I don’t mean to intrude,” she assured with her fake sweetness, her mouth settling in a close-lipped smile. 

Malfoy scoffed from beside me, leaning back in his chair. “‘Don’t mean to intrude’ my ass,” he mocked, and I let a small giggle slip out. A smirk replaced his scowl, clearly proud of himself for making me laugh.

“Thank you, Dolores,” Flitwick dismissed her, turning back to face the class. “Now, I’m sure you all remember, but the most important part of the Severing Charm is your...” he made a scooping movement through the air with his hands, urging us to finish the sentence. 

“Wand control,” the group of us answered, though the response was muddled and discombobulated. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Umbridge scribble down something more. 

“Very well, you may all start. The second half of class will be spent learning variations!” Flitwick’s voice raised as he spoke, the shuffling of students beginning their practice becoming too loud to speak over. Malfoy split the number of handkerchiefs in half, pushing a small stack across the table to me. Like we sat in Dark Arts, Jack and Goyle were in front of us, Katie and Blaise behind. 

“Remember when I cut your pants up?” I asked Malfoy through a chuckle. He rolled his eyes, though I’m sure he remembered it too. The duel that Blaise had coordinated in our third-year, when I had shot “Diffindo” at Malfoy and ripped his trousers right up the seam. 

“That’s when I realized that you were a lot to handle,” he shot back, though the playful glint stayed in his eyes. I watched as his fingers spread out the polyester square perfectly, tugging at each corner until it laid flat. Flitwick had put a wavy pattern on this one, though I’m sure Malfoy wouldn’t have any issues.

“I am not,” I scoffed, doing the same to my squares. “Diffindo,” I whispered, pointing the tip of my wand towards the top. Following the zig-zag pattern, I was left with two pieces of fabric before I continued. “You’re just still heated I beat you.”

Malfoy shook his head as he cut through his handkerchief. “I never said I didn’t like it. You really need to open your ears sometimes, Wilkinson,” he teased, glancing over at me. I had already busied myself with my second square, determined to finish before Malfoy. Once he realized what I was doing, Malfoy hurriedly laid out another. The two of us were so involved in our small competition that we hadn’t noticed Umbridge approaching our table. Jack and Goyle were turned in their seats, watching her until she cleared her throat. 

My head shot up, my handkerchief long forgotten. I only had two more too, and I was ahead of Malfoy. He paused as well, his wand set down on the table. 

“Is this what classes are normally like, Mr. Malfoy?” Umbridge clutched her clipboard to her chest, wiggling her quill back and forth. It was like I wasn’t even standing here. I didn’t think Malfoy would say otherwise, but I hoped he would support Flitwick. 

“Yes, professor,” he said, and then bit his tongue.

“Flitwick’s students have the highest average grade on their O.W.L.s-” I started, but Umbridge interrupted me.

“How, exactly? It seems like he leaves you all to teach yourselves,” she sneered, her eyes darting around the ripped handkerchiefs that littered our desks. My mouth dropped open at her accusation. She couldn’t be serious, her class was way worse. Besides, Flitwick had taught us this charm two years ago, it was a simple revision for the O.W.L..

“I do hope you tell me the truth, Mr. Malfoy. After all, I made you prefect for a reason,” she beamed at him, secretly hoping that Malfoy would break. But he didn’t, there was simply nothing bad to say about Flitwick.

I saw Malfoy’s jaw clench before he spoke again. “That’s all there is to say, professor.” His hand came to rest on my knee under the table, hidden from her wandering eyes. 

Umbridge sighed, but the noise was curt and clearly annoyed. “Very well,” she responded before she turned and continued to walk down the aisle. She walked slowly, looking down her nose at each student she passed. Occasional notes were written down, though her quill was never on the paper longer than a few seconds.

Malfoy ended up winning the small competition, immediately rubbing it in my face. It was funny, I had always seen Blaise let Katie win everything. Wizard’s chess, levitating contests, card games. Malfoy rarely lightened up on me, never giving me a head start or an easy way out. He gave me a run for my money each time. 

“Oh, shove off,” I chuckled, pushing his shoulder. His smile only grew at my weak defense, his nose slightly scrunched into his face as he laughed in amusement. Once he recollected himself, he leaned back in the chair and rested his knee against mine underneath the table.

Flitwick kept his word; the last half of class was spent learning the variations of the spell. There weren’t many, it largely depended on the thickness of the material you desired to cut. Flitwick made it very clear that this charm could result in serious injury if performed incorrectly.

He rounded off the class with another small homework assignment. Umbridge had left before his lecture, most likely moving onto a different professor. The group walked together to History of Magic, and were met with her presence yet again.

The lecture was rather boring, and I found myself nearly falling asleep a few times. Since detention started, I had gotten behind on schoolwork since I lost at least two hours each day. Last night, Malfoy and I had studied in the common room until the early hours of the night, but not much work got done.

Umbridge continued her assessment like she had in Charms. At the end, she assured Binns that he could expect his report in a few day’s time. He didn’t seem overly excited about it.

Lunch went by quickly. For some reason, Malfoy was feeling touchier than usual today. His hand was constantly on me, whether it was interlaced with mine or resting on my thigh. The boys continued to complain about the new rule, theorizing if it included quidditch or not.

“It is a team sport, I guess,” Blaise sighed, angrily stabbing through his soup with a spoon. Jack scoffed from beside him, though he nodded in agreement. 

“I just don’t see why she would even do such a thing!” he exclaimed, ripping up a baguette. Hastily, he threw a small piece into his soup, watching as it immediately absorbed the broth. “Absolutely evil woman, that one.”

Umbridge must’ve been following us all day, as she was sitting in the corner of the potions classroom when we arrived. Snape had busied himself with flipping through the textbook, his back turned to her. Something bad was about to ensue, I could feel it.

I followed Malfoy to our table, but he was talking with Goyle and Jack. Blaise and Katie stopped at their seats along the way, the two chattering. The classroom was abuzz with quiet conversations like it typically was. Snape glanced up when a student entered, clearly taking attendance in his head. 

Five minutes later, each seat was filled. We all turned towards him, knowing better than to embarrass him in front of Umbridge. I don’t think he would hesitate to give a Slytherin detention if we messed up the assessment for him.

“Good afternoon-” he began to address the class, but Umbridge cleared her throat. Snape’s eyes closed for a brief second, before he turned sharply and faced her. “Yes, Dolores?”

A small snicker hopped from table to table, the students amused with his attitude. The hatred he had for her was so obvious.

“Oh, nothing at all, Severus. Please continue,” she said, adjusting her seat on the stool. It creaked under her weight, which made a Ravenclaw giggle from the other side of the room. 

“You all will brew the Strengthening Solution today. Take careful note of the ingredients,” Snape’s gaze landed on a particular Slytherin who seemed to always grab the wrong jars. “Similar to the Wit-Sharpening Potion, there is a high chance the solution will be on your exam in June.”

With that, Snape wrapped up his introductory statements and released the students to gather cauldrons and ingredients. Malfoy immediately stood, placing his hand on my shoulder as he shuffled behind me. He was gone in a second, already at the back shelves. Jack and I walked to the front together, finding our place in the queue of waiting students. The solution didn’t call for a wide array of ingredients, rather the timing and amount needed to be perfect.

A few moments later, I had rejoined Malfoy at our table. He already had his cauldron heating, flipping through his textbook as I sat down. “Salamander’s blood, right?” he asked as he took the jars from my hands. “Not lizard’s?” His nose turned up as he read over each label, ensuring I took the right ingredients. 

“Yes, Malfoy,” I rolled my eyes, but I soon got to work, grinding the Griffin claw. He and I took turns over the next couple minutes, as our arms got tired. The textbook called for powdered claw, and we were nowhere close. Deciding to take a short break, I let my ears drift towards Snape and Umbridge. The two were standing together, Snape’s arms crossed over his chest as his eyes swept over the class. Like at the Great Feast, Snape and Umbridge’s clothing was a stark contrast. Especially in the dungeons, Umbridge’s shades of pink seemed extra vibrant.

“Well, the class seems fairly advanced for their level,” Umbridge noted, and a small flicker of pride crossed Snape’s face. It was gone in a second, his mouth set back into a stone-cold line.

Jack raised his hand, peering cautiously into his cauldron before looking towards Snape. Without a second thought, Snape abandoned Umbridge and rushed to the edge of our table. He bent over the cauldron, his nostrils flaring in disgust once he realized that Jack and Goyle had used the wrong type of blood. 

After a moment of awkwardly standing by herself, Umbridge followed Snape’s trail. Malfoy had started to grind the claw again, though his movements were slow as he was clearly more invested in their conversation. I kept an eye open too, pretending to be busy with reading the procedure.

“Though I would question whether it is advisable to teach them a potion like the Strengthening Solution. I think the Ministry would prefer it if that was removed from the syllabus,” she continued, grasping her clipboard tightly. Snape straightened at her words, turning to face her. Jack and Goyle looked at each other; Snape hadn’t told them how to fix their potion and it was bubbling quite angrily.

“Now, how long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?” Umbridge continued, her eyes sweeping over her clipboard. It was a routine question, one that I had overheard her asking other professors. 

“Fourteen years,” he responded lowly. Jack bit his lip, peering into his cauldron once more. Drips of a green-yellow goop were beginning to leak out and splatter onto the table. Malfoy’s hand stilled, the Griffin claw still minutes away from being a powder. The entire table was looking at the two professors, but I’m sure they both felt our stares. 

“You applied first for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, I believe?” she asked. Snape turned around, facing our table again as he raised his wand. I don’t know why, but part of me actually thought he would spin around and send Umbridge flying across the classroom. But he didn’t, rather setting a spell over Jack and Goyle’s cauldron. The bubbling immediately subsided, the loud gargling coming to a halt.

“Yes,” Snape answered without turning around.

“But you were unsuccessful?”

“Obviously.”

Umbridge paused for a moment, before she wrote down yet another note on her parchment. Malfoy knocked his knee against mine, the movement so sudden that I nearly yelped in surprise. I had been much too invested in Umbridge’s questions that I had forgotten we were supposed to be brewing the solution. He handed me the vial of salamander’s blood, and I began to pour it in drop by drop.

“And you have applied regularly for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post since you first joined the school, I believe?” she continued, and Snape finally turned to face her. Honestly, at this point, I wouldn’t mind if Snape was the Dark Arts professor. Anyone was better than her. Even if it ended up being Potter and Granger.

“Yes,” Snape kept his answers to a minimum.

“Do you have any idea why Dumbledore has consistently refused to appoint you?” 

Malfoy was hanging onto every word that was coming from her mouth. His grip on the pestle had lessened, the stone tool now hanging limply in his grasp. 

“I suggest you ask him,” Snape shot back, and I had to cough to hide a snicker. Jack’s lips curled into a smile as well, though Snape blocked Umbridge’s view of him. The two professors went back and forth for another few moments, though Umbridge eventually left for Pansy’s table. She was still angry about the prefect situation, so I hadn’t talked to her much lately. THe dormitory wasn’t too awkward, thanks to Katie.

“Salamander’s blood, Mr. Simmons,” Snape gave Jack one last reminder, snatching the vial of frog’s blood from the table. To keep Jack from making another mistake, I assumed. 

“It’s still an amphibian, same thing,” Jack muttered once Snape was out of earshot, causing Goyle to chuckle besides him. Malfoy and I continued to brew the solution, and we were nearly finished twenty minutes later. Umbridge hadn’t left yet, deciding to roam around to each table and ask more questions.

“D’you wanna, uh, go flying, sometime?” Malfoy cleared his throat as we were waiting for the solution to brew the ten minutes the procedure required. He actually sounded nervous, like he was worried I would turn him down. Jack and Goyle were still busy with their potion, having to restart once Snape took the blood from them.

“Are you nervous, Malfoy?” I chuckled, poking fun at him. He rolled his eyes, through his fingers anxiously played with the jars. He moved them from a line to a diamond formation, and then shuffled them around. 

“No,” he retorted, but I immediately knew it was a lie. “It’s just that, last time you came flying with me, you ended up in Pomfrey’s,” he sighed, referring to the time that Jack had knocked me off. I still teased Jack for releasing the snitch that day, which was probably the only reason I sprained my ankle. My broomstick had been resting against my dresser since the beginning of the year, just begging to be used. I hadn’t flown since my stay at the Weasley’s.

“That won’t happen again, not if we only fly around,” I assured him, my hand resting on his thigh. It was covered by the table, but his spine still stiffened at my touch. Usually, he was the one to initiate contact in public, and unless we were around our friends, he made sure it was hidden. Not even a second later, he had melted into my hand. 

“We’ll just fly, I promise,” he nodded, resting his hand on top of mine for a moment. “Maybe after dinner?” he proposed, and a sad smile crossed my lips. As much as I wanted to, I had detention with Umbridge. It must’ve slipped his mind.

“Detention, Malfoy, remember?” I reminded him gently, and my heart sank as I watched his face fall. Feeling guilty, I proposed another option. “This weekend?” 

He nodded, though his gaze had fallen on my bandaged hand. I knew he still blamed himself for talking that day in Dark Arts, but I had brought detention on myself. Honestly, I don’t think Umbridge was planning on giving me one until I called her a bitch. 

I had heard that Potter earned himself another week’s worth, much to McGonagall’s dismay. Another sharp comment about You-Know-Who had set her off. Granger and Ron would now have to accompany him, much like Malfoy and Jack did I. 

“You know I hate seeing your hand get cut up night after night, right?” he muttered, raising his hand from my good one and reaching for my bandaged hand. I let him hold it for a few moments until I saw Umbridge turn around in the corner of my eye. She had been bothering Blaise and Katie about the complexity of the class, and so she had her back to our table for a while.

Either Malfoy saw and used it to his advantage, or he had completely forgotten she was in the classroom. I’m not sure what she would’ve done if she knew about our relationship, but I decided that it was better to be safe than sorry. Immediately, I tugged my hand out of Malfoy’s grip. He looked lost for a second, until he looked up and saw Umbridge standing behind me. I shot him a warning look, silently telling him to attend to the potion.

As he bottled two vials of the solution, I began to gather the ingredient jars and wipe the table’s surface. We hadn’t made a huge mess, but a few grains of claw powder were strewn about the wood. My bandaged hand rested against the edge of the table, my good one swiping a towel back and forth. I stopped when I felt my hand being lifted. 

My gaze followed the arm upwards until I was met with Umbridge's smile. She was cradling my hand between hers. The clipboard was tucked into the nook of her elbow, pressing flat against her side. “Dear, you do realize Madam Pomfrey is hired to attend to wounds such as these?” she said, roughly grasping my hand between her two. Before I could stop it, a wince left my mouth as the gauze pressed into the cuts. They still hadn’t healed much since last night, meaning the wounds were open.

Malfoy immediately stiffened at my squirming, leaving the two vials untopped. Jack and Goyle looked over as well, watching as Umbridge squeezed my hand again in a fake show of sympathy. I ground my teeth together, intent on not giving her the satisfaction that she was hurting me. 

“I’m sure it does hurt more when you write over unhealed wounds,” she continued, and I was certain I had bit through my tongue given the restraint I was showing. Oh, how I wanted to tackle her and land a few good ones on her face. Snape’s attention had been caught from a few tables over. He immediately abandoned the students he was helping, walking over in a flurry of robes.

“What’s going on over here?” he showed a small amount of worry, something that I never thought I would ever see. Umbridge gave him another one of her fake smiles, though her fingers were already playing with the end of the bandage. Before I could do anything, she began to undo the wrapping. Jack stood up once he saw, accidentally knocking his stool backwards. The sound of it hitting the floor silenced the rest of the room. Students deserted their potions, everyone now craning their necks so they could see. 

Potter and Ron sat on the other side of the classroom, but the two were standing and looking over. Granger sat opposite them, her forearm resting along the back of her chair as she turned.

I hadn’t a clue what to do. I supposed that I could snatch my hand from her hold, though her hand was grasping my forearm tightly. She wouldn’t let it go without a struggle. I felt completely helpless, watching as the back of my hand was eventually exposed. Malfoy swallowed thickly from beside me, but he made no notion to stop her either. The blood-stained bandage was dropped to pool on the table next to my textbook.

Snape’s gaze fell on the back of my hand, his mouth pressed together in a tight line.

“Oh, don’t you worry, Severus. Just making sure my message is sinking in for Miss Wilkinson,” she responded simply. I couldn’t see it, my attention much too focused on Umbridge, but Malfoy looked to Snape with a desperate expression. “You should really take care of these, dear. Don’t want it to scar, of course.”

I hissed when Umbridge’s pudgy, sweaty finger swiped over the open cuts. The contact stung like hell, like when water hit broken skin. Or when gravel stays in a scraped knee. My second, louder wince was all it took for Malfoy to break the composure he had somehow kept for the last two weeks. 

“You gave her those!” he snapped, standing up to parallel Jack. The two looked at each other briefly, but Malfoy quickly shifted his gaze to Umbridge. Her head slowly raised, pure anger behind her eyes. She clearly wasn’t expecting to hear Malfoy’s voice, and especially not in the tone he was taking. “You can’t expect her to take care of them when you’ll be ripping them open hours later! You’re just an old hag who doesn’t have anything better to do!”

The entire class was looking, much like they had in Dark Arts. Ever so slightly, like I was testing it, I began to pull my hand from her grasp. Her grip only tightened on my forearm, and I muttered a profanity under my breath. Snape’s eyes landed on her fingers, my skin beginning to go white under her hold. My hand laid limp in the air.

“How dare you raise your voice at me, Mr. Malfoy!” she nearly screeched. Malfoy’s chest was heaving with labored breaths, and Jack’s gaze darted between the two of them frantically. Snape still had yet to say something, and I was praying he was waiting for the right moment to jump in rather than to not speak at all.

Before Malfoy could gather a response, before I could grab his arm to calm him down, before Snape could open his mouth, Umbridge drilled the tip of her quill into the back of my hand. It immediately tore through the delicate scab, the sharp tip digging impossibly further into my hand. I yelped in pain, and a hush of whispers and gasps ran around the classroom. 

She twisted the shaft of the quill, her grip beginning to constrict the blood flow to my hand. Her gaze never left Malfoy’s, who watched in complete terror. The pain was worse than that of the black quill, and tears began to fill my eyes. They danced along my bottom lashline before they eventually spilled over and ran down my cheeks. My other hand reached up and tried to pull hers away, but any strength I had was absent. 

“Dolores!” Snape’s voice boomed. She was shaken by the sudden opposition, and her hand stilled. I felt too weak and embarrassed to even lift my head, my shoulders racking as I inhaled a shaky breath. Malfoy reached over and snatched the quill from her fist, throwing it to the ground behind me. He unknowingly dragged the tip over a tendon as he pulled it out, a flash of pain shooting up my arm.

“I will not tolerate you treating any of my students like this,” Snape snapped, immediately rounding the table. His foot stepped on the quill, grinding it into the stone ground. She let my forearm go once he approached her. My arm fell to the table, the thud echoing around the classroom. Since he was still standing, Malfoy pulled me into my stomach. One hand held the back of my head, the other resting between my shoulderblades. “And I will take over Miss Wilkinson’s remaining detentions.”

I pressed my face into the material of Malfoy’s sweater, no doubt wetting it with my tears. His hand began to rub soothing circles on my back, though his glare was still set on Umbridge.

“Severus-”

“You may leave now, Dolores,” Snape said coldly. I hadn’t expected her to, but with a dramatic huff, she spun on her heel and raced out of the classroom. My cries had faded into shaky breaths, but my hand still ached terribly. I felt Malfoy turn to Snape, though he continued to keep my head pressed against him. 

“Take Miss Wilkinson to Pomfrey’s, Malfoy. And Mr. Simmons, clean up their cauldron,” Snape instructed, looking between the three of us. The class was still whispering about what had just happened, but once treated with one of Snape’s hard glares, everyone got back to work.

Malfoy helped me out of the chair, leaving our schoolbags behind. I leaned into him for the entirety of the walk, completely drained. He whispered tiny reassurances in my ear, but I’m sure they were equally for himself. 

“I hate her,” I whispered once we were nearing the hospital wing. “I absolutely hate her.”

“I know, Olive. I know,” Malfoy murmured, halting the two of us. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, his thumbs swiping over my cheeks to collect any stray tears. I had stopped crying since we left, but a few tears were still resting on my lashline and escaped when I blinked. His hands cupped my cheeks, the cold fingers soothing the flushed skin.

I felt so emotionally exhausted. No part of me wanted to put up a fight against Umbridge, at least not right now. I had spent so many hours with her pretending that the quill didn’t hurt, that the words didn’t hurt. What she had done in potions was the final straw. All she wanted was to embarrass and humiliate me, and I had simply let her. Malfoy was right, I was weak.

“I know,” Malfoy repeated again when I hadn’t spoken, his bottom lip trembling against my forehead. His hand clutched the back of my head, his fingers combing through my hair when he finally pulled away.

Pomfrey was extremely sympathetic when I presented my hand. “I’ve had too many students come in with similar wounds,” she sighed as soon as she saw the scratches. Malfoy never left my side while she stitched up the deep gash Umbridge had just made. He did glance away a few times, his nose scrunching up as his stomach flipped upside down. 

“Does blood make you queasy?” I chuckled weakly, looking over at him. His eyes were screwed shut, his face turned slightly away. My nose was filled with snot, so I tucked my face into my shoulder and rubbed my robe against it. 

“Not blood, it’s the needle going in and out of your skin,” Malfoy opened one eye to steal another look, but he immediately looked away once Pomfrey pierced my skin again. His cheeks filled up in a dramatic gag, and his eyebrows furrowed together. I wasn’t feeling it, though, since Pomfrey had numbed the area.

“Aw, wittle Malfoy’s afwaid of nweedles,” I teased, shaking my hand from his and poking his cheek. He hadn’t let my hand go since we sat on a bed. He rolled his eyes as he flinched away, though a chuckle escaped him as well.

“All set, dear,” Pomfrey said, patting my knee to indicate she had finished. The large gash Umbridge’s quill had left had been sewn up, and Pomfrey had rewrapped my hand in another bandage. “Here’s some salve, it should help with the scarring if you apply it twice daily.”

I thanked her before the two of us left. As we were heading towards the main hallway, I saw a large stack of the salve tins in her supply. She must’ve been stocking up for students who received a detention from Umbridge.

For the first time ever, Malfoy held my hand the entire way back to the dungeons. Granted, not many students were milling around in the path we took. But it was a step forward, and I was more than happy to swing my hand with his. He gave a couple squeezes every few strides, his cold fingers soothing my warm ones. 

When we returned to Potions, Snape had already dismissed the class. Jack had hung back, but he was at the sink in the rear of the classroom, washing his cauldron. Malfoy bent down for our schoolbags, and I ducked my head so he could slip mine over my shoulder. He didn’t though, instead clutching the strap in his hand and holding it for me. 

Jack had dried the cauldrons a minute later, and the three of us were about to leave the classroom when Snape spoke. He was sitting at his desk, homework assignments already spread in front of him.

“You three, do not get into any more trouble with Umbridge. Wilkinson’s dancing a fine line whether she knows it or not, and Malfoy, your choice of words earlier were not the best,” he lectured, and I sighed. I turned before the boys, just wanting to collapse on the nearest cushioned surface. Malfoy and Jack nodded, flanking either side of me as we left. 

“Miss Wilkinson?” Snape called once more, and I stuck my head back through the doorway. I swear, if he was going to lecture me even more…

“There will be no more detentions.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly i don’t really know what this is lol but midterms officially start tomorrow and i’m very sad abt it :/ I’ll probably skip a day or two this week, just letting you all know!


	52. chapter forty-nine

I suppose I never really had any doubts about joining Potter’s group. But after what Umbridge had done in potions, I was determined to beat that hag any way I could.

The Slytherin team was the first to be cleared for practice, though Umbridge required a deep academic inspection on the other houses. Jack, Blaise, and Malfoy had celebrated in the common room as soon as they heard from Snape, jumping from couch to couch and yelling. 

Even after Malfoy’s behavior in Snape’s, Umbridge still took a liking to him. As for the opposite, Malfoy had never hated anyone more. He glared at her with his signature Malfoy sneer every time she crossed his line of sight. In Dark Arts, she avoided me at all costs, and I had no problem doing the same. Like usual, every class period was identical. Silent reading of a new chapter, and possibly a small lecture if she had gathered something together. That was rare, though.

Ginny was the first to catch up with me after what happened in Potions.

“Olive!” she called from behind me, picking up her pace. I was just about to enter the Great Hall for breakfast, accidentally sleeping in a bit more than I would’ve liked. The others were already inside, but I was still hidden from their wandering eyes. I turned at my name, a smile spreading over my face when I recognized who it was.

“Ron told us what happened in Potions, that’s awful!” she exclaimed, her gaze immediately landing on my bandaged hand. The wound was still much too raw and new for Pomfrey’s salve, and the scab cracked every once in a while when I flexed my hand too much. I wasn’t sure who the ‘us’ she was referring to was, but I assumed it was the twins.

Before I got the chance to respond, she continued. “Hermione says we should meet during the first Hogsmeade visit. Something about not wanting to gather on school grounds,” she gushed out, her eyes darting over my shoulder and into the Great Hall. “Merlin only knows when Umbridge is going to ban Hogsmeade.”

I let out a weak chuckle of agreement, nodding my head. “I’ll have to come up with a way to get away from my friends, but I promise I’ll be there,” I told her, and her face lit up in excitement. 

“Even if it’s only for learning about Dark Arts, at least it’s somewhat of a resistance to Umbridge,” she sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “Harry said he’ll teach us our Patronus’, isn’t that badass? Except don’t tell anyone, I think he meant that to stay between us, now that I think about it,” 

Her awe was beginning to rub off on me, and I could only nod again. I hadn’t heard much about Patronuses, much less learned about them. Honestly, I didn’t know they existed until Jack had mentioned them after the third task last year. He didn’t have to use one, but he overheard Potter yelling the incantation in the maze.

“I’ve gotta go, Hermione wants my help in coming up with a list of others,” Ginny excused herself, sending me one last beaming smile before jogging through the doorway. I watched as the twins welcomed her to breakfast, Fred landing a playful punch on her upper arm. She used both of her hands to shove his head towards his bowl of oatmeal.

I wasn’t sure what I was going to tell the others. Malfoy and I had never gotten our one-on-one visit to Hogsmeade last year, the third task made sure of that. He had mentioned going together in October, but it was brief and a couple weeks ago. Not that he wasn’t still thinking about it, but he had just let the topic drop.

It would be easy to slip away from Katie and Blaise, and the same went for Jack. Malfoy, however, had an eye on me at all times it seemed, especially once the detentions started. I knew he wouldn’t be happy about me leaving him to go run off with the Weasleys, and especially an anti-Umbridge group at that. Obviously, it wasn’t that he liked Umbridge, it was that he wanted me to be cautious around her from here on out. I didn’t need to irk her more than I already had. And being part of a group solely made to spite her would probably be my one-way ticket out of Hogwarts.

“Mornin’!” Jack mumbled through a mouthful of eggs, only reaching up to cover his mouth after he spoke. Malfoy turned at his greeting, his stern face immediately melting into a gentle smile as I approached.

“You’re disgusting,” I joked as I sat down next to Malfoy. He took my bag like always, dropping it to the ground beside his. Jack rolled his eyes, using his fork to scrape together the rest of his breakfast.

“We have the quidditch field anytime we like, since we’re the only team that got cleared,” Malfoy said through a smirk, dropping a blueberry muffin on my plate. I unwrapped it as I listened to him. “So, if you still wanna fly, we can do it whenever. I can move the team’s practice to any time, any day.”

I wasn’t sure why, but him sounding so authoritative and in-charge made him look ten times as attractive. So attractive even, that I completely forgot what he said.

When I didn’t respond, Malfoy stared at me for a moment with one eyebrow arched. “Huh?” I mumbled back, blinking a few times to hopefully restart my brain. 

“Whenever you wanna fly, I can make it happen,” he repeated himself and Jack snickered from across the table. He was listening, obviously finding it funny how I completely zoned out just then.

“Oh,” I swallowed, my gaze landing on Malfoy’s lips. I’m not sure if he did it on purpose, but his tongue darted out and after a single swipe, his bottom lip was brought between his teeth. “Uh, yeah. Later today, possibly?” 

Malfoy gave me another weird look, his eyes slightly narrowed in suspicion. His eyebrows popped right back up a moment later, any hesitancy he had seemingly gone. “After potions, then?” 

I simply nodded.

Breakfast finished quickly, and I spent most of it clutching Malfoy’s hand under the table and listening to Katie complain about the Journalism club’s shut-down. In Charms, Flitwick received his assessment from Umbridge, but it was promptly shucked in the bin. The class tried to stifle a collective snicker, but Flitwick’s eyes glinted with a similar playfulness and soon, the entire room was filled with laughter. 

The class was rather easy, Flitwick continuing to review the Severing Charm. More handkerchiefs floated down onto our desks, but we were to cut our own patterns today.

“What did Potter and Weasley ask you about on Monday? After your detention, y’know?” Malfoy suddenly asked. I glanced over, but he was still focused on cutting a zig-zag line through the cloth. Today was Friday, it had been four days since Jack and Malfoy joined me in Umbridge’s office for the first time. 

Involuntarily, my gaze shot to the back of Ron’s head, where he was sitting near the front on the opposite side of the classroom. He and Potter sat next to each other, Granger choosing to sit beside another Gryffindor just behind them. “Just curious about my detention, that’s all.” I surprised myself with how easily the white lie came.

“Seems like Potter’s gotten himself enough to know, don’t you think?” Malfoy said, and I immediately sensed the wariness in his tone. I bit my lip, racking my brain for a believable response.

“I dunno, Malfoy,” I sighed exasperatedly, my shoulders raising in a shrug. “Potter and I were, like, the only ones to get detention our first week. I reckon he was just wondering if Umbridge had me use the same quill.”

He sat back in his chair, his eyes still pinned on Potter’s back. “Yeah,” he muttered, though he looked more cautious of Potter than he did me.

“Hey, Flitwick said no copying patterns,” I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Malfoy’s gaze snapped back to the table, looking between my zig-zag cut and his. His mouth dropped open, and he snatched my handkerchief before I could even move.

“You copied me, and you know it,” he teased, balling up the fabric and shoving it into the pocket of his robe. Flitwick was sitting at his desk, his nose buried in a textbook. The sight of the pink parchment in the bin beside him still made me chuckle.

“I did no such thing,” I defended myself, wrangling his hand out of his pocket. He let me pull it out easily, but my handkerchief wasn’t in his fist. “You’re just a sore loser, admit it.”

Malfoy scoffed, watching in amusement as I dug through his pocket. My frustration grew as I came to realize it simply wasn’t in there. I swore I saw him stuff it in that pocket, though.

With a laugh, Malfoy pulled the two pieces of torn fabric from his other pocket, dangling the navy cloth over the desk. “Simple spell, Wilkinson. You really need to start paying more attention in classes.” With an upwards flick of his eyebrows, he silently won the fight.

“You still copied me,” I couldn’t let go of the childish argument, huffing immaturely as Malfoy dropped the pieces in front of me. Clicking his tongue, he shook his head before we returned to our assignment. We made sure to choose different cutting patterns until the end of class. 

History of Magic was boring like always, and I think I even fell asleep at one point. Binns had an extremely monotonous voice, so I really couldn’t blame myself. 

Snape’s class was slow as well, as he opted for a lecture-filled period as opposed to a brewing one. He seemed to glance at Malfoy and I more often than usual, but his gaze never lingered for more than a couple seconds. 

Umbridge’s report came halfway through his lecture on the moonstone, slipping underneath the door. Malfoy tensed up beside me at the intrusion, like he was expecting her to follow it moments later. But she didn’t, and the pink parchment rose into the air by itself.

Snape paused his lecture, watching the sheet flutter through the room. Students’ eyes followed it as well, and before it even reached his desk, Snape muttered a spell.

“Incendio,” his voice was low and reserved, though the parchment immediately erupted into flames. Not a second later, it was nothing but embers and smoke, any trace of Umbridge’s writing completely gone.

Like it had in Charms, a small snicker jumped from table to table, though Snape didn’t seem to have the same amusement as Flitwick. At least not outwardly.

When Potions finally ended, Malfoy and I nearly jumped out of our seats. The summer weather was still persisting long into autumn, giving the two of us blue skies and warm sun to fly under. Thirty minutes after Snape dismissed us, Malfoy and I were standing side-by-side in the quidditch field, both gripping our brooms.

Over the summer, Malfoy’s father had bought the Slytherin team the newly-released Thunderbolt model. Malfoy’s name and number had been carved into the handle, resting just above where he normally held it while he flew. 

“Now, Wilkinson, make sure you-” 

I was high in the sky before he finished whatever he had to say. Giggling to myself, I glanced over my shoulder once I was a good twenty meters off the ground. Malfoy was left standing by himself, one hand shielding the sun as he stared up at me. We had shed our robes when Potions finished, leaving both of us in gray sweaters and white button-ups. At some point, Malfoy had loosened his tie and it hung limply around his neck.

Not wanting to slip off, I stayed still as I watched Malfoy mount his broom and catch up with me. “I suppose I never should’ve doubted you,” he chuckled once he was within earshot, a proud grin spreading over his face.

I smirked as I wrung my good hand around the handle of my broom. My bandaged hand was too slippery to grasp onto the wood tightly, the gauze having too many extra layers that hindered my grip. “Beat you to the goalposts, Malfoy,” I challenged him, and shot off before he could blink. 

It was probably his Seeker skills, but he made it to the rings before I did. “What’d you say just then, Wilkinson? Somethin’ ‘bout beating me?” he pretended to play dumb, scratching his temple in a joking manner. 

“Maybe you should fly that fast when Chang’s eyed the snitch first, don’t ya think?” I shot back, and his mouth dropped open in shock. I figured it was probably best to leave Potter out of this, even if it was an immature back-and-forth. For a second, I thought I had gone too far, but Malfoy’s response soothed my fear.

“You’re going to get it,” he started at me, tipping the handle of his broomstick downwards. I rolled to the right, accidentally doing a three-sixty on my broom. Recovering quickly, I shot forward, leaving Malfoy facing the other direction. A laugh escaped my mouth as I made a wide arc behind a boxstand, Malfoy hot on my trail.

The wind whipped against my face, lifting my hair up in a wild breeze. Malfoy had begun to close in on me, though a smile sat on his lips as well. I leaned to the left suddenly, causing him to continue barreling straight forwards. Before he could react, I had already turned back the way we came.

Looking over my shoulder quickly, I could see him shake his head as he pulled his broom around. We continued the game of cat-and-mouse for another few minutes, and I could tell that Malfoy was letting me get away each time. I wasn’t that good at flying.

“Hey! You two!” I heard Johnson’s voice yell from the ground. Slowing to a hover, I glanced down to see the Gryffindor team gathering on the field. Malfoy came to my side a second later, his smile replaced with a scowl. His hair was slightly mussed because of the wind, his cheeks tinged a soft pink.

“No way Umbridge could’ve cleared them already,” he scoffed, his eyes narrowing as he glared down at the seven students dressed in red quidditch robes. Johnson began to wave her arm in the air, obviously annoyed that Malfoy and I were flying during her practice time.

“Maybe McGonagall had something to do with it,” I suggested, shrugging. Malfoy and I descended back to the ground after Johnson yelled once more. Her voice was quite thunderous, it was no surprise how she made captain.

Malfoy had a response ready the second his feet hit the grass. “Slytherin’s the only team that’s cleared for practice, what’re you mess doing here?” he snapped, tossing his broom into his free hand. I clambered off mine a bit less smoothly, my foot almost catching on the bunch of twigs. Fred snickered under his breath, catching my eye for a second before he pinned his on Malfoy. Ron stayed in the back behind Potter, his head bent towards the ground. “Weasley’s still flying that log of a broom, I see.”

“McGonagall gave us the afternoon to practice,” Johnson countered, her hand clutching the handle of her broom tightly. Malfoy scoffed again, looking over to me as if he was asking for a similar reaction. I averted my gaze, though, pretending to be busy with the metal hooks of my broom.

Clearing his throat, Malfoy turned back to the Gryffindor team. “Might just have to tell Umbridge, I don’t think she’ll be very happy to see such a large group of students going against her rules.”

“You do that and I’ll-” George started, but Johnson cut him off with a single look.

“Leave it,” she shook her head, ushering her team past Malfoy and I. For some reason, I stayed silent as I watched the Weasleys pass, avoiding Potter’s gaze as well. Malfoy held his head high as he watched them push off into the sky, Johnson immediately calling out various plays.

“Do you even hate Umbridge?” I scoffed, knocking my shoulder against Malfoy’s as I stalked for the locker room. There shouldn’t be anyone in there, the Gryffindor team was already on the field. Malfoy caught up with me a second later, his longer legs requiring less strides.

“Of course I do,” he retorted, like it was something I already should’ve known. I rolled my eyes, hooking the sharp left once I pushed through the doors. He followed behind, the door swinging shut moments later. “I told you, Wilkinson. I only hate her because of what she did to you. I don’t give a flying shit about the Gryffindors.”

I was about to respond with a bitey reply, but a small sniffle leaked around the corner of the Slytherin row. Malfoy and I looked at each other, though the expression on his face was unreadable. It was probably a first or second year. Malfoy approached first, holding his hand out behind him until he peeked around the last locker.

Jack’s back was to us, slightly hunched over on the middle bench. He faced the other way, though his spine was curved over his arms.

“Simmons?” Malfoy asked quietly, approaching hesitantly. Jack was rocking back and forth, muttering something under his breath. When his head snapped towards us, I gasped at the sight of his glossy eyes and red nose. His left forearm was grasped tightly in his other hand, though it was still covered by the sleeve of his sweater.

Without a second thought, I slipped around Malfoy and dropped down on the bench beside him. Malfoy came to stand across from us, his eyebrows furrowed together as he stared down at Jack’s arm. Our brooms were long forgotten, resting against the wall at the end of the Slytherin row. Carefully, I reached for Jack’s arm and he let me take it without a fight. His sleeve rode up, exposing the Dark Mark. It was clearly irritated, the snake wiggling ever so slightly.

“I-It’s burning again,” Jack’s voice broke as he spoke, sniffling harshly. I had never seen him so weak, in so much pain. My heart got caught in my throat, and all I could do was glance up at Malfoy. We wore identical expressions of worry.

\---

The first weekend of October approached much faster than I would’ve thought. Maybe it was the lack of detentions with Umbridge, but my homework assignments seemed to be completed quicker, and more time was spent with Malfoy when he didn’t have practice. After hearing of Gryffindor’s pseudo-practice (Malfoy swore it wasn’t him), Umbridge had banned them for another month. At this rate, if Umbridge didn’t cancel quidditch matches altogether, Slytherin would probably beat Gryffindor come November. 

Ginny and I had come up with a simple plan that would hopefully fool Malfoy. After she remembered that he had easily let me go with her in Flourish and Blotts over the summer, she proposed that she find me in the Three Broomsticks and pull me away under a ruse. “Girl stuff,” she had said, “It always weirds boys out.”

Besides, it would be less suspicious if she grabbed me, as opposed to one of the twins or Ron. So, I would walk to Hogsmeade with my Slytherin friends, mill around a bit, and be in the Three Broomsticks at two.

“They better have the Halloween sweets,” Blaise shook his head as he picked up his turkey sandwich. We were at lunch, following the usual protocol during a Hogsmeade weekend. Katie started to assure him that they would, especially since the holiday was only a few weeks away.

After two weeks, my hand had finally healed enough that I didn’t need the gauze anymore. The salve Pomfrey had given me didn’t do much, it was like Umbridge had spelled the quill to cut so deep that the fading of the scar was impossible. When she had drilled into my hand in Potions, she basically tore out the latter two words of the line.

The other two were raised in white scarring, and my skin was mangled and stretched irritatingly tight. Even closed up, it wasn’t a pretty sight, and I found myself hiding my hands in my robe pockets much more than usual. 

I was practically inhaling a bowl of oatmeal with Malfoy next to me, Jack opposite us. Since the evening in the locker room, his mark hadn’t acted up. It must’ve still just been in the healing process or something, since even Jack didn’t know why it burned so bad. Malfoy couldn’t come up with a reason, either. Jack had a happy smile on his face, a half-eaten banana gripped in his hand as he talked to Goyle. 

Pansy and Liam were sitting a bit further down, the two engrossed in their own conversation. Even weeks after Umbridge made the announcement, both of them were still heated that Malfoy and Jack had taken Liam’s role. 

I looked over when I felt Malfoy squeeze my forearm. “How’s your hand? We could stop in the apothecary in Hogsmeade, they might have something Pomfrey doesn’t.”

“It’s fine, Malfoy,” I chuckled at his overbearingness. “I just want nougat clusters, that’s all.”

A snort escaped Malfoy, his eyebrows raising in a “I-should’ve-expected” way. “First stop, then,” he promised, shooting me a small smile from the side of his mouth.

Malfoy kept his word. Half an hour later, he had separated us from the rest of the group and pulled me towards Honeydukes. A few first-years were in his way once we entered, but they immediately pressed their backs against the wall as he approached. I’m not sure he noticed, though, his gaze pinned on the back corner. 

Before I could even catch up with his long strides, Malfoy had gathered three bags of nougat clusters in one hand. Each one was a different selection, but he waved off my complaint of the price. “It’s nothing, Wilkinson.”

Tables and chairs were scattered up and down the middle of the cobblestone street, providing students and professors with a place to sit. This time, I was the one to tug Malfoy over. I had snuck a glance at the clock inside Honeydukes, and I had over an hour until I was supposed to be in the pub.

“Gimme,” I said as I wrangled the bag out of Malfoy’s hands. He had bought a box of jelly beans as well, which would fill up the next hour or so. He let it go easily, smirking as he sat down in the chair across from me. There were only two at this specific table, so I hoped no one would drop by as they passed. 

A guessing game ensued between the two of us, the box handed back and forth every minute or so. I watched as Malfoy popped a rather suspicious-looking green jelly bean into his mouth, chuckling as his face twisted into one of disgust.

“That’s gotta be the cabbage one,” Malfoy mumbed after he somehow swallowed it. My eyes swept over the back of the box, finally landing on the flavor that read ‘overcooked cabbage.’

“Right again,” I sighed, pushing the box over the table. He hadn’t gotten one wrong yet, though I had missed many.

“Knew it,” he smirked in a satisfactory manner, his eyes skimming over the selection. A few moments later, he was dropping a pink-colored bean into my waiting hand. In the past couple rounds, he had given me prawn and sausage, to which he laughed at when I gagged. The first time, Malfoy had slipped me an olive-flavored one, thinking it was funny.

I nearly sighed in relief when the taste of strawberry exploded in my mouth, washing away the lingering fishiness. I chewed it happily, and shot him a smile after I swallowed. “Figured you wanted a good one,” he shrugged, handing the box back to me. Malfoy shifted back in the wrought iron chair, his knee coming to bump against mine. We had been lucky, none of our friends had walked by yet.

Payback was still to be made after the prawn-flavored jelly bean, so I sifted through the box until I found a polka-dotted pink and tan one. The chart said it was supposed to be earwax, so I happily dropped it into Malfoy’s hand. He sniffed it hesitantly, though it was between his molars a second later.

“Oh, that’s disgusting, Wilkinson,” he spat, fumbling for a napkin and spitting the jelly bean back out. I, however, was in stitches of laughter, clutching the box tightly as I watched him wipe his tongue dramatically. 

“Karma’s a bitch, you know that right?” he retorted, leaning over the table. I let the box fall easily from my grasp, a few chuckles still pushing their way out as I watched him choose a flavor for me. Eventually, a golden-yellow one was pulled out, Malfoy handing it to me. The onion-flavored jelly bean was a similar color, and so I tentatively placed it on my tongue.

Honey spread around my mouth instead, Malfoy watching me with close interest. “Dammit, is that not the onion one?” he groaned, looking over the back of the box again. Snickering, I shook my head and he sighed. The box was promptly closed and set on the table, Malfoy making it clear he was over the game. It was a good transition to bring up grabbing a butterbeer, so the two of us made our way back to the Three Broomsticks. 

Blaise, Jack, and Katie were sitting near the windows when we entered. Malfoy and I dropped down next to them, Malfoy sitting at the head of the table. Jack and Blaise were arguing about a professional quidditch team, and Malfoy quickly slipped his personal opinion into the conversation. 

Twenty minutes of bantering later, the clock struck two. Ginny bounded over right on time, coming to a stop on my right. Malfoy abandoned his butterbeer, setting it on the table as he looked between Ginny and I.

“Oh, Olive, I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” she lied, reaching up to brush a few loose strands out of her face. The others went back to their prior conversations, but Malfoy kept an ear turned towards us. “C’mon, I need your help with something.”

The second I stood, Malfoy looked over with an arched eyebrow. He looked skeptical of Ginny’s request, so I immediately rubbed his upper arm soothingly. “I’ll be right back,” I promised him, giving him a warm smile. Malfoy looked at Ginny once more, but she was turned towards the entrance and not paying attention.

“Okay,” he kept his gaze on Ginny as he spoke, but eventually flicked it back to me. I nodded, a pang of guilt shooting through my heart. I tried to tell myself it wasn't a bad thing, that standing up to Umbridge was my own decision, even if Malfoy probably didn’t exactly approve of it.

Ginny and I nearly burst out onto the main street. She led me off to the left, and I shot a glance over my shoulder to ensure Malfoy wasn’t following us. A few minutes later, we were ducking under a sign that read “Hog’s Head.” I hadn’t been here before, students typically decided to eat at the Three Broomsticks instead.

I was nearly taken aback by the tininess of the pub once we entered. It was a drastic contrast to the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the Three Broomsticks, and a dodgy smell wafted through the air. A few other students were already sitting in the back corner, Granger and Potter talking amongst themselves as they stood and eyed each student entering. Ron and the twins were sipping on butterbeers, and a couple other Gryffindors were huddled around them. Chang and three of her Ravenclaw friends slipped in behind Ginny and I, immediately crossing the room after they muttered a quiet greeting.

Longbottom entered alone, his eyes widening when he recognized me. As of now, I was the sole Slytherin in the pub, besides the owner, possibly. He gave off a shifty vibe.

“Hi, Neville,” I smiled at him, and he gulped before responding similarly. He and I had always been friendly in Herbology last year, and I hoped he remembered that.

I followed Ginny across the dirty floor of the Hog’s Head, my shoes padding against what had to have been a centuries’ worth build-up of filth. Johnson glared at me when she passed, clearly remembering that I had been with Malfoy on the quidditch field. 

Ginny had me sit between her and Fred, who had already ordered thirty butterbeers. I passed, the one from the Three Broomsticks still sloshing around in my stomach. Five minutes later, students had stopped entering, indicating everyone was here. Thirty of us were gathered around Potter and Granger.

A Hufflepuff boy hadn’t stopped staring at my hand, so I quickly tucked it away under my thigh. Fred seemed to notice as well, kicking the back of the boy’s chair in an effort to break the boy’s gaze. Glancing around the room, I saw that everyone else here was from other houses. I was the only Slytherin. 

Granger called the meeting to order, though her voice was small and hesitant when she first spoke. Within a few sentences, most of them complaining about Umbridge, she gained confidence and was speaking loud enough for those in the back to hear. 

I listened quietly as a different Hufflepuff started to argue with Granger and Potter about You-Know-Who’s rise, my eyes darting between the three of them. Potter didn’t drag me into the argument, like he had Jack last month.

“So,” Granger angrily huffed, turning away from the blonde Hufflepuff once he had given up. “Like I was saying, if you want to learn some defense, then we need to work out how we’re going to do it, how often we’re going to meet, and where we’re going to-”

“Is it true that Harry can produce a Patronus?” a Hufflepuff girl interrupted, and Granger looked like she was going to flip the table she was standing in front of upside down. Ginny hummed beside me, knocking her elbow against mine. I glanced over and she waggled her eyebrows in excitement, clearly looking forward to learning what her Patronus was. I hadn’t given it much thought, but a small part of me matched her excitement. 

Fred slurped his butterbeer loudly from my left, his gaze flicking between the Hufflepuff and Potter as she bombarded him with questions. The rest of the group started to praise Potter for the things he had done in the past, Longbottom jumping in maybe a few times too many.

The blonde Hufflepuff from before, Zacharias I think his name was, made another snappy comment at Potter. George immediately pulled out a metal instrument from a bag that I hadn’t even seen, poking it towards the boy. Him and Fred defended Potter, Fred shoving his butterbeer into my hand before he stood. 

“Besides, what’s a Slytherin doing here anyways? A spy for Umbridge, I’ll bet she is,” Zacharias scoffed, nodding towards me. 

“Olive’s here because she wants to learn Dark Arts just as much as the rest of us,” Granger snapped back, surprising me. We had never talked before, and I had been certain she was just as skeptical of me as Potter once was. “If you would ever pay attention in class, Zacharias, you’d notice just how much of Umbridge’s crap she puts up with.”

Zacharias flushed in embarrassment, turning away from the twins. Granger finally redirected the conversation, asking for an unanimous agreement. 

She was met with an overwhelming amount of murmurs and nodding, the entire group deciding to learn from Potter. However, the meeting was adjourned with the question of the meeting place still raised, since no one could think of a hidden-enough area. Suggestions were thrown from around the room, but they were all shot down once someone rationally thought through them.

Granger had us sign our names on a piece of parchment, indicating that we would stay silent about the group. I stood in line behind Ginny, and once I reached the front, I shot Granger a smile.

“Thank you,” I said as I scribbled my name underneath Ginny’s. Granger simply nodded, but I could tell she was biting her tongue from saying something more. Something about Malfoy, I presumed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woohoo i'm back lolol also i didn't really edit this because i was too tired to
> 
> but anyways, it's the weekend and i sTILL have a midterm on monday that i'm pissed about :/
> 
> how was your week?? pls lmk i'm desperate to talk to people lolol


	53. chapter fifty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for 20k hits! like literally insane, i can't fathom getting more than like 100

It was pouring loudly on Sunday morning. When I woke, I could hear it lashing against the small window the dormitory had. Blinking a couple times, I stretched out under my duvet as I glanced from Katie’s bed to Pansy’s. The two were still asleep, Pansy releasing thunderous snores like usual. I rolled my head to the left and read the time. Eight twenty-seven.

I hadn’t even realized I had fallen back asleep until a loud bang and a muttered swear jolted me awake. Opening one eye, I saw Katie hopping around the foot of her bed, glaring down at the post. 

“Sorry, Olive. I didn’t mean to wake you, this goddamn bedpost got right in my way,” she mumbled, pushing her messy hair away from her face. The three of us weren’t always the most picturesque in the mornings, especially towards the end of the school week. 

“Shut up, you two,” Pansy groaned from the opposite side of the room, shoving her head under her pillow as she silently wished for a few more moments of rest. Katie, who wasn’t the prime example of a morning person, flipped her off behind her back before she began to rummage through her dresser. 

I shifted onto my stomach, turning my head away from the rest of the room. My alarm clock now read just past eleven, which meant I had a little less than an hour to meet Malfoy for lunch. Snape had assigned a rather large essay on moonstones over the weekend, and the two of us had agreed to work on it together. I bet Snape never would’ve guessed I would still be working with my third-year tutor.

Katie and Blaise were supposed to take a walk around the grounds today, but the inclement weather had derailed their plan. It wasn’t far enough into the term for students to be appropriately stressed about assignments and exams, but Umbridge’s mere presence had put a damper on the typical warm and welcoming environment the first few weeks usually held. 

“C’mon! A game night would be fun, we can ban Jack from playing wizard’s chess,” Katie nearly begged, pouting her bottom lip out. “Merlin knows his pieces trust him more than anyone else.” Her voice dropped to an annoyed mutter.

“O-” I was going to agree, but she continued.

“Besides, it can be like a reward for doing homework all day! And Umbridge can’t enforce curfews inside the common rooms, anyways. Well, I don’t think she can,” Katie’s eyebrows furrowed as she thought about her latter claim, but they immediately bounced back up a moment later.

Pansy had fallen back asleep, one arm thrown off the edge of her mattress as her face pressed firmly against her pillow. “Okay, okay!” I laughed, causing a smile to erupt on Katie’s face. 

“Half-past seven, then,” she confirmed, and I nodded. I’m sure Malfoy would tag along if I forced him to. With another satisfied huff, Katie slipped out the door to grab a shower before she met up with Blaise. 

I figured I would wait for Malfoy in the common room, Pansy’s snoring tended to drive me insane when I was conscious enough to hear it. Following Katie into the bathroom moments later, I readied myself for the day. I could hear her singing in the showers, her voice carrying through the air until a seventh-year girl yelled at her to shut it.

Katie had taught me a drying spell, one that partially worked on hair. Technically, it was for drying clothes or towels, but with the right wand movement, I could have my hair somewhat dry after a flick of my wand. The spell could be unpredictable at times, since it mostly depended on where exactly you pointed your wand. 

And I definitely didn’t expect one section of my hair to puff up in an unruly mess, rivaling Granger’s. Groaning, I tried to run my fingers through my hair, but my clock was warning me I had five minutes until noon. It was a hopeless attempt, and I was fairly sure I had made it worse by the end.

I was leaving the room with a scowl on my face when Katie returned from the bathroom. Her mouth twisted into an amused smile, though I could tell she was trying to keep her face serious. “It’s all about the wand movement, Olive,” she reminded me, but I waved her off before I stalked down the hall.

“What the bloody hell did you do to your hair?” were the first words out of Malfoy’s mouth. He was already lounged on one of the leather couches, twirling his wand around between his fingers. Recently, he had been trying to learn new wand tricks, and he spent any spare moment he had practicing. The wand came to a rest within his grip, one eyebrow raised as his gaze settled on my hair.

“Katie’s stupid drying spell,” I muttered, reaching up and trying to flatten the one section. There was a portion of the wall to my left that held a variety of mirrors, and I glanced at my reflection. Honestly, I looked like I had been electrocuted. “I look like a mess.” Malfoy let out a full laugh as he stood, pocketing his wand and crossing the room. 

“It’s all about the-”

“Wand movement. I know, Malfoy,” I nearly growled, only causing Malfoy’s smile to grow more. His eyes held a playful twinkle as he approached, our chests inches away. Of course he knew the spell, the boy put more effort into his hair than anyone I knew. I swore Jack never even brushed his.

“Well, I think you look like a very pretty mess,” he teased, reaching up and readjusting the strap of his bag. The hardware that adorned the leather glinted under the dim candlelight. I rolled my eyes at the goofy compliment, though I pressed my fingers against my lips and then to his forehead. Simply too lazy to stand on my toes.

“That wasn’t very much of a kiss, now was it?” Malfoy continued his jovial taunting, a smirk crossing his face. The common room was empty besides the two of us. For some reason, Malfoy was still wearing a tie on a Sunday, though it was tucked under his jumper. Like I had in the bathroom weeks ago, I reached up and tugged it out, watching as his eyes widened. With a quick twist of my wrist, the tie was wrapped around my hand.

I pulled him down gently, though I didn’t have to make the horse drink. His lips crashed onto mine in a split-second, both our eyes fluttering shut at the contact. The hand that was resting on his strap came to grab the side of my head, his palm pressing into my cheek. When my smile became too much to continue kissing properly, I leaned backwards and let his tie unravel from my grasp. My hand came to press against his chest, and I peered up at him with a lazy smirk.

“Now that’s v’ry much of’a kiss,” he slurred incoherently, almost like he was drunk. A small chuckle escaped my lips, and I found the energy to raise myself onto the balls of my feet and plant a quick kiss onto the corner of his mouth. 

“C’mon, we have that potions essay to do,” I reminded him, and he groaned dramatically. 

“It’s raining, Wilkinson. I don’t wanna do anything,” he whined like a child, and I shot him a look. We wouldn’t even leave the castle, I wasn’t sure what he was complaining about. Besides, our corner in the library was rather cozy. Malfoy had taken a liking to dragging the chairs side-by-side recently, so we sat on the same side of the table.

He began to tuck his tie back under his jumper, eyeing me as he did so. Malfoy never really dressed up on the weekends, always seeming to wear sweaters and comfortable trousers. The tie was more a surprise than the button-up and jumper, though.

I watched until he finished, his hands smoothing out any bumps and wrinkles I caused. “Did you forget it was Sunday?” I raised an eyebrow, my eyes trailing the collar of his button-up. His skin was so pale, a few marks and moles dotted sporadically over his neck.

“Umbridge requires the prefects to be ‘dressed accordingly at all times,’” he mocked her voice, a small snarl on his lips. My gaze fell on the badge on his robes, which I had somehow missed earlier. “Simmons is real pissed about it, won’t even do it.”

A small huff of amusement left my nose when he mentioned Jack. It sounded like something Jack would get disproportionately heated about, especially when the order came from Umbridge herself. Both Malfoy and Jack hadn’t overseen any more Slytherin detentions since mine, since it seemed as though Umbridge gave out less to those in our house. Malfoy had passed the detention of the younger student who had spilled my drink onto a sixth-year prefect.

Since Umbridge’s rearrangement of prefects, the two had been thrown into a dormitory together. Technically, each prefect is supposed to live individually, but Liam had thrown an absolute fit when Umbridge asked him to move out. Sadie, on the other hand, did so compliantly, and her room opened for Jack and Malfoy. 

“You do look very handsome,” I reciprocated his earlier compliment. “I just wish it wasn’t under Umbridge’s rules.”

Malfoy’s sigh that followed matched mine, the two of us holding sad smiles on our faces for a moment. “I know, Wilkinson. Believe me, I hate her just as much as you do.”

I knew that Malfoy would’ve never been invited to join Potter’s group, given the past between the two. Granger already seemed wary of me, and I’m sure she had a parchment-roll length of questions about my intentions. The Weasley siblings had vouched for me, and I couldn’t go against who they claimed I was. As much as it hurt, I needed to keep Potter’s group a secret from Malfoy. At least for now.

“Given the Dark Arts curse, we’ll probably get rid of her in June,” I tried to lighten the situation, and Malfoy rewarded me with a half-assed snort. He shrugged, one hand fingering the edge of his prefect badge, like he was debating whether or not to take it off.

A second later, his hand dropped and slipped into mine before I could even react. Our fingers laced together naturally, his thumb resting over the top of mine as he tugged me towards the common room door. Amazingly, no one else had entered the room the entire time we were standing there.

I let Malfoy lead me out into the dungeons, his thumb swiping back and forth every so often. Our arms swung in sync as we walked towards the Great Hall, a smile spreading over my face with each step we took. He had never been so brazen in public, even if it was only holding hands. Small steps, I reminded myself.

We were just about to enter the Great Hall when Malfoy suddenly stopped, his hand slipping from mine. I felt as my heart seized, and I dreaded turning to look at him. I didn’t want to see any hesitancy in his face, any doubt that we should walk into the Great Hall holding hands. It was likely that no one would be paying attention anyways, but I’d like to hope it was something important for Malfoy and I. 

Malfoy dropped to one knee, his hands fumbling with his shoelace. It had come undone as we were walking, and I had been too busy listening to his voice to notice. It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders once I realized that he had no second thoughts. His hand slipped from mine because his shoelace had come undone, and that was it.

So I wasn’t sure why I felt like my stomach had been turned inside out when he straightened and sauntered into the Great Hall alone. I suppose he wasn’t exactly alone, he had glanced over his shoulder to ensure I was tagging along. But he hadn’t made a move to hold my hand again, and I think it bothered me more than it should’ve.

Deciding to keep that conversation bottled for now, I plastered a smile on my mouth and jogged the few short strides to him. Jack was already sitting at the Slytherin table, one hand grasping the Daily Prophet while the other held a spoon that was hovering above a bowl of oatmeal.

Katie and Blaise must’ve been off somewhere, and Pansy was still in the dormitory. Malfoy and I dropped down across from Jack, our bags hitting the ground seconds later. Jack looked up at our approach, the Prophet set down a moment later. 

“D’ya see what they wrote about Potter?” Jack muttered under his breath, his eyes glancing up and down the table. No one seemed to be paying attention, but we kept our voices hushed as Jack spun the newspaper around. A snapshot of Potter’s trial was front-page, where he stood facing numerous rows of Ministry members. Part of me was surprised they were still printing the story. It had to have been running since August, at the very earliest.

“Potter’s Claims: Becoming a Reality?” Malfoy read aloud quietly, his eyes darting along the title line. “The rise of You-Know-Who, and what it means.” Jack scoffed from across the table, where he was dragging his spoon through the oats. 

“They write it like it’s a guidebook,” he shook his head, and I noticed Malfoy’s grip tightening on the paper. He was obviously affected by it as well, his eyes continuing to sweep the paper. I leaned onto his shoulder, resting my cheek against his robes as I skimmed the rest of the article. “Like, surprise! You-Know-Who’s back, but here’s how to avoid death.”

Jack still managed to find a bitter humor in the situation, but I knew better than to chuckle. You-Know-Who’s rise had caused him to wear long-sleeves constantly since the beginning of the school year, caused him to find hideaways so he could cry freely. 

“Of course it’s written by that Skeeter woman,” Malfoy’s tone matched Jack’s, and he set the paper flat on the table. My eye caught a familiar name towards the bottom, and I read it aloud before I could stop myself.

“Jack Simmons, son of well-known ministry officials Michael and Caroline Simmons, was also in the third task with Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory. Sources say he witnessed the rise of You-Know-Who, though he has refused to comment on what truly happened?” I asked, my gaze shifting upwards to meet Jack’s. Malfoy’s settled back on the paper, searching each line to find the one I read.

Jack rolled his eyes, an exasperated sigh coming from him. “Skeeter never even reached for another interview. It’s a straight lie, that’s what it is. Just wanted to throw my name out there.”

I gave Jack a sympathetic smile. “At least she didn’t say your parents are, well, you know-”

“Yeah,” his response was curt, though it wasn’t mean-spirited.

The three of us were quiet for a few moments.

“Death Eaters can work at the Ministry?” I asked dumbly, accidentally thinking out loud. Both Jack and Malfoy nodded coincidentally, though Malfoy busied himself with choosing a muffin a second later. Jack glanced at him, but Malfoy intentionally ignored his gaze.

“More do than you would think,” Jack shrugged, his eyes landing on the paper again. I reached out and turned it over, desperate to stop watching the moving picture of Potter’s trial. 

“How’s your, uh-” Malfoy started, but Jack interrupted. He already knew what Malfoy was referring to.

“‘T’s fine. Just flares up from time to time,” Jack unconsciously tugged the hem of his sweater further down and past his wrist. He wasn’t wearing anything remotely similar to Malfoy’s prefect attire. Instead, he wore a hoodie that had a professional quidditch team’s logo spread over the chest and normal blue jeans. Jack’s badge was missing as well, though I presumed it could be thrown in his schoolbag. He didn’t seem to take the role very seriously. Didn’t want it in the first place, anyways. 

Malfoy simply nodded, turning his attention back to the paper liner on his muffin. “Maybe it’s just it healing?” he proposed quietly, keeping the volume to a minimum. A few other Slytherins had joined since Malfoy and I arrived, but they were spread out up and down either side of the table from us. 

“Maybe.”

There wasn’t as much awkwardness between the three of us as I thought there would’ve been. Especially given Malfoy and I’s new relationship, and the friendship Jack and I had. If I had to guess, this morning’s conversation was filled with unmentioned worry and uncertainty the future held.

We ate in silence for another few minutes, though my scrambled eggs didn’t look nearly as appetizing as they did five minutes prior. Instead, I reached for a blueberry muffin and began to nibble on it as I thought.

Holding dual positions as a Death Eater and a ministry official was counterintuitive, at least to me. I just couldn’t rationalize someone supporting You-Know-Who, but then going back to a desk job Mondays through Fridays. Malfoy’s father held rather high ranks in both of his positions, making him both well-known in the Death Eater community and in the Ministry. Jack’s parents seemed to have the ability to fly under the radar as supporters. Part of me presumed Skeeter didn’t even know they were Death Eaters. There was no way she wouldn’t have included that in the article if she knew. 

“Olive!” Jack’s voice finally pried into my ears, causing my head to snap up at him. A slight smile was on his lips, clearly amused that I hadn’t been paying attention. I wonder how many tries it took him. “I’m going back to the common room, you two want to come?”

Malfoy shook his head, answering for the both of us. He explained we were planning on working on Snape’s essay, and Jack nodded. After stealing three more muffins and a banana, Jack waved us a goodbye before he left the table.

“What’s going on inside that head of yours?” Malfoy asked as we were walking to the library. My brain had gotten foggy with too many unknown answers, answers that I desperately wanted. Though, as not to worry him, I chuckled and shook my head.

“Not a whole lot,” I laughed, reaching up and shoving Malfoy’s shoulder. He stumbled to the left a few paces, his free hand coming up to rub at the muscle and pretending to be injured. “Just thinking of the moonstone essay, that’s all.”

“Well, that’s good, I suppose. Maybe you can write both our essays.”

“I said ‘not a whole lot,’ Malfoy. Maybe you should pay more attention,” I teased him back, using the line he always used against me. His eyebrows flicked upwards in a shocked motion, though a small smile laced his lips as he looked down at me in admiration.

Malfoy didn’t say anything more, instead holding the library door open for me. I slipped in first, feeling him accidentally kick my heel when he entered after me. The two of us made our way towards our spot in the hidden corner. 

He had kept the box of jelly beans after Hogsmeade, something about wanting to fish out all the bad ones for me and then give it to me sometime soon. The second we sat, the paper box was placed on the table, his hand pushing it towards me. I reached into it absentmindedly, more focused on flipping through the potions textbook.

At most, there were ten jelly beans inside the box. Malfoy hadn’t even opened his textbook, too intrigued with watching me finally realize. A smirk sat on his face and I raised an eyebrow as I looked inside the box. Each bean was a muted green, and I immediately knew Malfoy had picked out all the olive-flavored jelly beans. The smirk twisted into a shit-eating grin, and I poked my tongue into my cheek as I shook my head.

The olive-flavored candies weren’t even good anyways, they were weirdly salty. “What, they’re not your favorite?” Malfoy questioned, but he already knew the answer. Rolling my eyes, I shoved the box back towards him, but not without slipping him a small smile.

The essay on the moonstone didn’t take as long as we anticipated, though Malfoy did most of the research. I didn't tell him, but my mind was still chock-full of thoughts regarding Death Eaters. As he was writing his concluding paragraph, I sat back in the chair. My eyes lazily traced over his features, noticing how his nose slightly scrunched up in concentration, his tip of his tongue captured between his teeth.

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” he muttered under his breath, but his gaze never left his parchment. Glancing to his textbook nonchalantly, his eyes skimming over a certain section as he ignored my open mouth. I had heard that joke numerous times over the years, but Malfoy was the only one that made me chuckle at it.

“Oh, shut up. It’s not my fault that my boyfriend is just too attractive to not look at.”

My eyes widened the second I stopped speaking. Malfoy’s hand, which had been scribbling a sentence, froze and the tip of his quill pressed into his parchment. It felt like time stopped, though I couldn’t tell if it was in a good way or a bad way.

Since the first kiss in the astronomy tower, we had never put a label on our relationship. It went without saying that we were only for the other, despite whatever Malfoy thought about the Weasleys. But now, as I thought about it, we had been acting like boyfriend and girlfriend for months. His ring, the flirty letters over the summer, the secret hand-holding under the house table. The long nights spent doing nothing other than kissing and talking. Hell, I had even met his parents.

“I think my girlfriend’s got your boyfriend beat in the attractive competition.”

Malfoy’s easy response was everything that I didn’t know I wanted to hear. Still joking and light-hearted, but he adorned me with the appropriate label like I had given to him.

A chuckle left my mouth first, and then Malfoy joined a split-second later. We simply beamed at each other, Malfoy’s knee coming to rest against mine. His quill (which technically used to be mine) lifted from the parchment, though an ink spot was left behind. 

“You’re rewriting this for me, you know that right?” he teased, lifting his chin towards the spot. Always one for perfection, he was.

\---

At half-past seven sharp, Malfoy and I walked through the entrance to the common room. Katie had already gathered the others, and they were all sitting around the fireplace. Jack was stretched out on one of the couches, his head resting on the arm as his fingers interlocked over his stomach. Somehow, Katie had gotten both Crabbe and Goyle to come, as well as Liam. Pansy and her boyfriend were sitting opposite Jack, the two curled into one another.

“Finally,” Katie scoffed, shaking her head in disapproval at Malfoy and I. Dragging him along was easier than I had expected for it to be, and he walked willingly with me after dinner. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was excited for a game night.

Jack sat up as Malfoy and I approached, his legs swinging off the couch and making room for the two of us. Blaise pulled Katie into his lap when she had finished laying the games on the coffee table, her giggles echoing throughout the room. Malfoy took my bag from my hand and rested them on the ground beside the couch.

My eyes skimmed the selection as I sat, tucked in between Malfoy and the armrest. Jack sat on the other side of Malfoy, one hand supporting his head as he leaned on the arm of the couch. Katie had pulled together a nice variety: Exploding Snap, Snitch Snatcher, and a couple basic packs of cards. A wizard’s chess set was absent, but a box of wizard’s checkers took its place. For some reason, Jack was significantly worse at checkers.

A game of Exploding Snap ensued first. Since only two people could play a game at once, a few decks were passed around, and I found myself watching from the couch while Malfoy and Jack kneeled in front of me. I had never played the game before, so I had volunteered to oversee the two’s first game. 

Malfoy’s nimble fingers shuffled the deck as he explained the rules to me, Jack half-listening as he began to fiddle with the edge of the rug. With both their wands at the ready, Malfoy split the deck in two and placed the cards face-down.

The first flip was so fast I didn’t see it. I only heard the rapping noise Malfoy’s wand made, and the crisp snap of the card following just after. With wide eyes, I glanced down to see two identical pictures of giant squids, one trapped underneath the tip of Malfoy’s wand.

“You have to call it!” Jack exclaimed, rocking back onto his heels as he looked at Malfoy, and then to me. “Olive, tell him he’s cheating!”

“That’s not how I play,” Malfoy smirked, his wand now twirling between his fingers. The cards floated to rest beside his knee, indicating he had gotten the point. 

“That is such bullshit,” Jack muttered, though he gripped his wand tightly as his eyes fell on the stack of cards. The rest of the game was rather animated, the two yelling at each other when they thought the other was cheating. Somehow, I had ended up as the referee, but I tried to judge fairly. 

The common room was soon filled with laughter, shouting, and the occasional loud snap of an exploding card. At one point, Blaise had accidentally singed the sleeve of his robe when he leaned over the cards to plant a pity kiss on Katie’s cheek.

I watched as Jack and Malfoy played another game, since I didn’t feel confident enough to play. Jack would probably go easy on me, but I doubted Malfoy would. At the end of the second game, Jack had a smudge of black soot across his cheek when he scratched the skin after a card exploded.

“Your turn, Olive,” Jack sighed after he lost, shifting onto his feet and standing up. I slipped off the edge of the couch, sitting opposite Malfoy. He had a wicked smirk on his face as he shuffled the cards.

“Scared, Wilkinson?” he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye. Rolling mine, I flexed my wrist dramatically, like I was readying my wand hand.

I most definitely was. 

“You wish, Malfoy.”

Jack snickered from above us, stretching his legs along the length of the couch and resting his head on his bent arm. Malfoy kept his word, and showed me no mercy. The game went quickly, Malfoy’s wand even pushing mine out of the way when I saw two identical pictures of a cyclops.

“You are a cheater!” I huffed once the game ended. Malfoy had a pile of cards to the right of his knee, and I was left with a measly six. He smirked, shrugging as he spelled our group of cards together in the middle.

If there was one game I was semi-good at, it was wizard’s checkers. Like wizard’s chess, it wasn’t much different from the muggle version of the game. I wasn’t sure if Malfoy felt guilty for Exploding Snap, but I beat him fairly easily.

“This is so boring!” Pansy groaned from the other side of the table, throwing her head back against the couch. Liam looked over at her, one eyebrow raised as he was putting the pieces back into the box for Snitch Snatcher. I wasn’t sure what she was on about, as Jack, Malfoy, and I had been consistently playing fun games.

“Card games are for children,” she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest in a huff. “Why don’t we play, like, truth or dare, or something? Spin the bottle, even?”

Malfoy’s spine straightened from her latter suggestion, the cards he was shuffling stilling in his hand. Even Jack’s eyebrow arched in disbelief, glancing from me over to Katie. She just shook her head, and leaned into Blaise’s chest. Katie and I knew better than to feed into Pansy’s bitchiness. 

“Pansy, basically everyone’s coupled up,” Blaise said slowly, like he was explaining it to her. “Besides, like, Jack.”

“Thanks, mate,” Jack responded through a pained sigh, and the group of us let out a collective chuckle. A smile grew on Jack’s face, so I assumed he wasn’t that pressed about Blaise’s comment. 

“Fine, no spin the bottle, then,” Pansy rolled her eyes as she stood. Her hands rested on her hips as her gaze swept the room. She was only met with silence, the rest of us not knowing quite what to say. “If you guys want to be pussies about it.”

Liam frowned at her disgruntled response. For a fleeting moment, I actually felt a pang of sympathy for the boy.

“Jack, truth or dare,” she asked curtly. It was clear she was still pissed about the prefect swap, and I silently begged her to get over it. Unless she wanted to storm into Umbridge’s office and demand a reversal, I don’t think there was anything she could do.

Jack sighed exasperatedly, obviously short with her. His hand came up to rub at his forehead, accidentally leaving a faint streak of soot like he had earlier on his cheek. “Dare, I guess. This is stupid, P-”

“Kiss Olive.”

Before I could even blink, two responses shot back at her. One from my right, and one from behind.

“Are you psychotic?”

“What? No!”

I couldn’t be totally sure, but I think Jack was the one to call her psychotic. Instead, like she had anticipated it, a smug smirk grew on Pansy’s face. Her eyes darted from Malfoy, to me, and then up to Jack. She only responded to Malfoy.

“And why not?”

She was only met with a heavy silence, the three of us not knowing how to answer her. I was hit with the realization that Pansy never officially knew about Malfoy and I. Katie had been the one to walk in on us in the bathroom, and Blaise had known since last year. Jack had watched Malfoy and I’s relationship progressed, he was indirectly the reason that it did.

“So many lies,” she clucked her tongue like Umbridge did, though it wasn’t in a funny impersonation. Another wave of realization crashed over me when I remembered that Pansy had been Malfoy’s date to the Yule Ball. She had witnessed everything that happened between Malfoy and Jack, though she had somehow bit her tongue for nearly a year. Blaise and Katie were still in the dark about Jack’s past, and I swear, I would hex Pansy myself if she let it slip right now.

I couldn’t tell if Pansy knew more than she let on, like if she knew about Jack’s Dark Mark. Or about the Death Eater in my house. I tried to calm myself, assuring my own mind that Pansy was putting on an act. She was still mad about the prefect thing, that was all. Malfoy must’ve picked up on my increasing anxiousness, and he spoke before Jack or I could.

“Olive and I are dating, that’s all,” he said incredibly nonchalantly. So nonchalantly, in fact, that I had to look over at him and ensure he was the one that actually said it. The tension in the common room was immediately diffused, and he had given Pansy what she wanted to know. Though part of me guessed she knew already.

But, most importantly, Malfoy had bought the three of us more time to deal with Jack’s Dark Mark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For all my americans out there: what’s your favorite thanksgiving food? Mine is def mac n cheese and rolls because that’s all I can stand lol  
> For all my non-americans out there: what’s your favorite food in general?
> 
> Also pansy is not sus, she’s just pretending she knows more than she does lol
> 
> ALSO FIFTY CHAPTERS OMG!! honestly idk how i wrote that many, but thank you all again for taking this ride with me :') I look forward to reading your comments on every chapter I post, and I appreciate your support more than you'll ever know!!


	54. chapter fifty-one

The common room was silent for a few moments after Malfoy finally revealed that he and I were dating. A group of seventh-years were sitting by the window, and his announcement had even caught their attention. They were fairly unbothered though, turning away a second later. It wasn’t grand or exciting, since nearly everyone already knew, but the look on Pansy’s face was priceless.

Maybe she hadn’t known. Or had been convincing herself it wasn’t true.

Either way, I felt a weird sense of satisfaction.

With a gaping mouth, Pansy slowly sunk down onto the couch beside Liam. Jack coughed from behind me, and the small sound kicked the room back into action.

“Merlin, I was waiting forever for one of you to finally admit it,” Katie nearly groaned, but she had a wide smile on her face. Blaise had leaned back against the couch, one arm along the back as his right ankle rested on his left knee.

“Uh, yeah,” Malfoy separated the two words with a rather loud swallow. I glanced over at him, but he was staring at the board of checkers that was still sitting on the rug between us. He looked a bit shocked with himself, so I reached out and placed my hand over his. Immediately, his composure relaxed and his blue eyes met mine.

“Well,” Katie hummed. “Blaise, truth or dare?”

Blaise looked over at the sudden mention of his name, but he chose dare. Two minutes later, he had poured nearly half of a box of jelly beans into his mouth. He chewed with a struggle, both the good and bad flavors intermixing in his mouth as he broke through the shell. Wincing, he looked back at Katie and swallowed the mass of candy with difficulty. 

A few more dares and truths were thrown about the group, Pansy refusing a dare and nearly throwing a fit when Liam laughed at her for it. Jack asked me if I did, in fact, cheat in potions that one day when Malfoy had spelled my book open. Obviously, I denied it but both Jack and Malfoy ganged up on me, teasing that I did.

Crabbe got dared to serenade the group, choosing the Hogwarts song as he stood on the center table. Liam and Pansy were dared to switch clothing, and, surprisingly, she didn’t put up a fight.

Within the next forty-five minutes of answering truths and doing dares, the group had settled down into a comfortable atmosphere. Malfoy and I were still sitting on the ground, my fingertips lazily tracing over each vein and tendon on the back of his hand. Katie and Blaise were snuggled together on the couch, only separating when they needed to.

“Jack, truth or dare?” Katie asked when it was her turn again.

I chuckled, twisting my torso and looking up at Jack. He laughed as well, obviously more than willing for whatever Katie had in store. He and Blaise had slow-danced a few minutes ago, only stopping when Blaise wrestled him to the ground. “Dare.”

Katie’s eyes lit up in excitement at his response, but it was clear she had already prepared a dare. “I dare you to … streak through the common room!” The entire group immediately started to urge Jack to do so, but I felt his bouncing leg still from beside me.

I thought it was funny as well, until I remembered his Dark Mark. “Er-” he started, but Blaise cut him off. 

“Jack Simmons? Refusing a dare?” Blaise laughed innocently. I knew he had not a single clue about what Jack’s summer entailed, and I’m sure Malfoy and Jack felt the same way.

Surprisingly, Jack’s loud laugh rang through the common room as he pushed himself from the couch. “Oh, piss off, Blaise. I’ll do it, but I’m keeping my robes on. Don’t need you all staring at my ass, the broomstick sure doesn’t do wonders for that.”

At some point, Malfoy had stacked the checkers pieces neatly and placed them back in the box. It was set on the table when I looked back, Malfoy tugging at my arm and nodding at the newly-opened spot on the couch. I caught onto the silent cue and the two of us were sitting side by side on the leather a moment later.

Jack started for the boy’s wing, but not before he turned and shot Malfoy and I a worried look. I bit down on my bottom lip, wondering just how Jack was going to get through this without bringing attention to his Dark Mark. He definitely wasn’t one to refuse a dare, but he also wasn’t one to half-ass it either. Hopefully, the others wouldn’t pick up on his alteration of Katie’s request.

I felt for Jack, I really did. The skeletons in his closet were only multiplying, but he managed to keep the same bright smile on his face day after day. I knew that if the others did find out about his mark, it wouldn’t be an extreme case of shit hitting the fan. We were Slytherins after all, and although we weren’t all destined to be Death Eaters, I felt like we had a different understanding of them.

Malfoy’s arm fell behind my shoulders, though it rested along the back of the couch like Blaise’s had earlier. A small part of me was curious if Malfoy still looked at Blaise and Katie the same way I did. Before I could come up with any sort of an answer, I felt Malfoy’s hand come to cup my shoulder. He squeezed lightly, like a form of reassurance.

Jack had slipped out-of-sight to undress, and the group had started on a different conversation. Moments later, it was brought to a close when Jack cleared his throat. Sure enough, his robes were draped lazily over his shoulders, but his Dark Mark was completely concealed. His bare chest was visible through the V-shaped cut of the Slytherin robes, and he had shed his trousers as well.

Crabbe and Goyle began to snicker, Pansy and Liam joining in as well. “For you, Katie,” Jack dedicated the run to her, and she laughed in glee once he started a lap around the perimeter of the room. His left hand gripped his sleeve tightly and kept the material wrapped securely around his forearm. 

Malfoy let out a small huff of amusement as Jack jumped onto the fireplace landing, scurrying across it before launching himself off. Blaise had tears in his eyes as he watched Jack’s robes catch on a fire-poker, the sound of the iron skidding across the stone floor following moments later.

Jack had even tried to run down the girl’s wing, but the spell prevented him from doing so. A loud thud and a yelp came from down the hallway, and Jack came limping out like a hurt puppy. Since the early days of Hogwarts, the heads of houses trusted girls more so than boys, so a protective spell was put on each of the girl’s wings. To keep out rambunctious boys like Jack, I presumed.

Jack slunk back to the boy’s wing, his robes drawn tightly over his chest. Katie covered her eyes dramatically, falling back into Blaise’s lap. During Jack’s streak, Malfoy had taken advantage of the distraction and tugged me further into his chest. I smiled as my head rested against his shoulder, happy that he was comfortable enough to do something like this in front of the others.

Katie shot me a knowing smile once she noticed, a twinkle of admiration in her eye. The game of truth or dare continued once Jack returned, where he dropped down on the other end of the couch. He had left his robes in his dormitory, wearing a cream-colored sweater instead.

“Goyle!” Crabbe called his friend once it was his turn, and Goyle answered without having to be asked. 

“Truth.”

“Did you have a crush on Olive in our third-year?” Crabbe snickered, like he already knew. The two were sitting beside one another in front of the fireplace now, having complained that the common room was too cold.

“That was a secret, ya big brute!” Goyle immediately snapped back at Crabbe, and indirectly answered Crabbe’s question. I felt a flush spread over my face, and I pressed myself further into Malfoy’s side. Honestly, I had never noticed Goyle’s crush. 

“You better not now,” Malfoy scowled, causing Goyle to look over sheepishly. He shook his head, but Malfoy’s lips were already pressed in a firm line. Katie and Blaise were still in stitches on the other couch, and I wondered if they had drank or ate something funny before game night.

Crabbe and Goyle got into a heated argument, accusations flying left and right. Malfoy turned away from it, nuzzling his mouth into my hair and planting a quick kiss. It was something he had only done in private before, though I was certain he had glanced around the common room before. I hummed happily, letting my eyes shut as I wrapped my arms around his left one. 

It was only half past nine, but the entire day of studying had worn me out. Malfoy stayed still, and I could hear his heartbeat start to slow as the group calmed down. Truth-or-dares eventually became truth-or-truths, mainly because everyone was too tired. As I was dozing off, I heard Pansy answer a question about Liam, and Katie answer a similar one about Blaise. Malfoy’s shoulder shook with a laugh at one point, and I inhaled sharply as my eyelids fluttered back open.

“Sh,” he shushed me quietly, relaxing his shoulder so it would be more comfortable for me. I still felt cloudy-minded, and the voices around me were faint. “Go back to sleep, ‘m right here.”

Truth-or-truth faded into basic conversation, the group talking about anything and everything. When my breathing became slower, indicating I was asleep, Malfoy had carefully slipped me off his shoulder and rested my head in his lap. 

For the next hour, I kept slipping in and out of consciousness. At some point, one of Malfoy’s rings accidentally caught in my hair. He had been stroking my hair absentmindedly, twirling the ends around his fingers as he listened to Blaise talk about one of his mother’s travels. I just barely made out a few swears as Malfoy tried to untangle the ring, tugging at my hair gently. Once they were free, he continued to rake his fingers through my hair, and I found myself falling asleep once more.

I woke to Malfoy squeezing my shoulder, whispering something that I couldn't immediately understand. With bleary eyes, I rolled my head to the right and saw that the grandfather clock read half past twelve. The group was beginning to disband, the boys heading for their dormitories and the girls for theirs. 

Malfoy stood up with me, muttering a good-night before watching me walk down the girl’s wing with Katie. The last thing I remember seeing was him standing in the common room, hands shoved in his pockets. I blew him a flirty kiss over my shoulder, watching as a smile spread over his face.

\---

A couple weeks went by before I heard anything about Potter’s group. We still didn’t have a name, though I’m sure Granger had been cooking up a list since the gathering in the Hog’s Head. We were a bit more than halfway through October when Ginny found me outside the Great Hall.

“Olive!” she called, causing me to turn around. Umbridge had implemented a new rule a few days ago, prohibiting the gathering of more than five students in the same house, three if you were in different houses. I glanced around quickly as Ginny approached in a jog, but no one else seemed bothered enough to join us.

“‘Mione told me we’re meeting tomorrow, at six. Should be soon enough after dinner that professors will think we’re just studying, and it also gives members time to walk back to their dormitories before curfew,” Ginny rushed out in a whisper, taking a small breath in between her sentences. “Harry said to meet in the Room of Requirement, it’s on the seventh floor opposite that weird tapestry of the dancing trolls. ‘Parently Dobby told him ‘bout it.”

“Um, okay. How do I get in?” I asked dumbly, but Ginny only smiled. 

“Groups of us will split off from the Great Hall, I’ll come get you with the twins, alright?” she proposed, and I nodded.

“That’ll work!” I agreed, but then the realization hit. “Wait…Malfoy will probably be at dinner, Slytherin practices don’t start until six-fifteen.”

“You can come late, I’m sure the others won’t mind,” Ginny reassured me, reaching up and readjusting the strap of her schoolbag. She continued to give me directions on what to do once I reached the room, and the two of us entered the Great Hall separately as not to draw any unwanted attention.

Umbridge’s pink clothing was hard to miss as I walked towards the Slytherin table. Her gaze was sweeping up and down the house, like she was doing an attendance check of sorts. Snape sat beside her, but he was much more interested in his breakfast as he had his back nearly completely turned to her.

I caught her eye for a brief moment, her pursed lips immediately falling into a flat line. We exchanged glares until Malfoy reached for my bag and broke my gaze. 

“Mornin’,” he greeted, slipping the strap of my bag off my shoulder. It was something he did every day, and it instantaneously put a smile on my face. Any thoughts of Umbridge were wiped from my mind.

Since the game night in the common room, Malfoy was much more open about our relationship. He still kept a level of professionalism to it, he didn’t grab me dramatically and kiss me hard in the middle of the hallway. Instead, he continued his small hand squeezes, sporadic forehead kisses, and sly smiles that no one else saw. But, the two of us weren’t in a constant worry about who else would see.

“Morning,” I chirped back, sitting down beside him. Jack mumbled a greeting, looking half-asleep. He must’ve gotten behind on homework assignments, and spent the remainder of last night completing them. Snape had scheduled a quiz for today, and after having studied for hours with Malfoy, I felt more than prepared.

“D’ya think we’ll actually use Potions in real life?” Jack sighed, resting his cheek on the heel of his hand. Malfoy shrugged as he reached for an apple, wiping it with his sleeve a moment later. The two had gotten weirdly friendly this year, especially after what had happened last year. It was a mature move on Jack’s part, becoming friends with the boy that had practically ruined his life. As for Malfoy, he seemed to be maturing as well. Though not with Potter or any of the Weasleys.

“Dunno, probably,” Blaise jumped in, his potions textbook laid out in front of him. Katie had slept in, so he was sitting with us for breakfast. 

“Anyways, look what I thought up,” Malfoy smirked, resting the apple on its core before reaching for his schoolbag. I snagged the apple from the table, taking a couple bites as I watched. Malfoy pulled out a couple rudimentary buttons, ones that could be pinned to our robes if we so desired. 

“‘Weasley is our King’?” I read, raising an eyebrow. There was obviously something behind the words. 

Jack snatched one from Malfoy’s grasp as well, his eyes skimming over the inscription. Blaise read over his shoulder, abandoning his textbook.

“Yeah. With Weasley as Gryffindor’s Keeper, they’re basically handing us the game. The bloody idiot can’t block a quaffle to save his life,” Malfoy began to snicker, and Crabbe and Goyle soon followed. Even Blaise let out a small laugh, though Jack’s face stayed still. “The Quidditch Cup is ours this year, boys.”

I harshly threw the button back onto the table. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why Malfoy was still so hung up on the Weasleys. I had told him over-and-over that they were nothing more than friends, but he couldn’t seem to grasp the concept.

“That’s mean,” I snapped, and Malfoy actually looked taken-aback by my opposition. His eyebrows raised high into his forehead, his lips parted as he looked over. Jack stayed silent, now playing with the button as he watched the two of us. Crabbe had already pinned one onto his robes, and Goyle was in the process of doing the same. 

“What? No, it’s n-”

“Yes, it is. And you know it, Malfoy,” I said through a huff, standing up. He watched as I grabbed my bag from the floor and hoisted it over my shoulder. “I’ll see you guys in Charms.”

During my stay at the Burrow, I had watched Ron practice for hours on end. Running drills with Fred and George, spelling quaffles so he could block them, even running laps around the garden. He had worked harder than Malfoy ever did, and he had fairly earned his position on the Gryffindor team.

“Wilkinson!” I heard Malfoy call after me, but I kept my back turned as I walked down the aisle. It was too faint for me to hear, but Blaise wished Malfoy a “good luck” before he stood as well. I could hear his footsteps approaching behind me, so I picked up my pace.

“Wilkinson, c’mon,” he tried again once we were in the hallway, his voice dropping to a mutter. There was no one else in the corridor, his pleads echoing between the walls. I spun on my heel, causing him to nearly run into me. 

“‘Weasley is our King’? Could you be any more of a dick?” I snapped at him, but Malfoy only rolled his eyes. 

“He’s a worthless excuse for a quidditch player, Wilkinson! Besides, why are you getting so worked up about it? Do you still have feelings for him or something? That’s what it is, isn’t it?” he countered, and I groaned. Completely exasperated, my hands rose to my head and my fingers ran through my hair.

The past two weeks were too good, so I suppose I should’ve expected this. It was the same fight we had in the Express, a repeat of me telling him the Weasley’s were only friends, and him not believing it.

“Why am I getting so worked up? You’re the one who hates whenever I even look in their direction!” My reply was weak, but I simply couldn’t come up with anything better.

“And for good reason!” he nearly yelled, his voice raising. I glanced around nervously, though it seemed like everyone was in the Great Hall for breakfast. “Everyone in that family is a complete and utter loser, I can’t believe you would even associate yourself with them!”

“They are not losers!” I reached up and pushed at his shoulder. He stumbled back a single pace, quickly recovering from the minor shove. “I can’t believe you still think I’m running around with one of them!”

“Are you?” he growled, a snarl forcing its way onto his lips. I sighed, completely fed up with him. Truly, I don’t think there was anything I could say that would make him believe me. He was so hard-headed and stubborn that he would only hear what he wanted to. I turned away from his menacing stare, walking to lean up against the wall. My eyes shut, my fingers coming up to pinch the bridge of my nose. I could hear him approach, there was no need to look.

“You know that I’m not,” my voice dropped to an emotionless mutter. Malfoy’s heavy breathing could be heard, his chest rising and falling with each shaky inhale and exhale.

“I don’t think I kn-”

“Are you two okay?” a Ravenclaw first-year said from a couple meters away. She stood wide-eyed, hands dangling at her side. From her point-of-view, it probably looked like Malfoy had backed me into a corner, and his inconsistent breathing was unsettling. He had earned himself a reputation around the school over the years, so I shot the girl a small smile.

“You’ve just earned yourself a detention,” Malfoy snapped at the first-year, and her eyes immediately fell to the badge pinned to his robes. I was about to make him take it back, but the girl had already scurried into the Great Hall, clearly intimidated by Malfoy.

“God, you get this stupid badge-” I reached up and flicked the piece of metal with my middle finger. Malfoy’s face immediately hardened, like he had taken offense to the gesture. “And you start giving anyone and everyone detention. You are a dick.”

“Olive-” he started, but I interrupted him. I was so done with his constant degradation of the Weasleys, and him abusing his power as a prefect. It had been funny when he gave the Slytherin boy detention, but the one just now was uncalled for.

“Just shove off, Malfoy. And revoke that detention, that Ravenclaw doesn’t deserve it,” I glared at him, pushing his shoulder backwards. He let me go this time, standing helplessly in the hallway as I stalked towards the staircase. Charms wasn’t supposed to start for another thirty minutes, but I knew Flitwick kept his door unlocked.

\---

I didn’t speak to Malfoy for the rest of the day. What made matters worse, though, was the fact that he and the majority of the other Slytherins were wearing that god-awful button. Even Katie had pinned one to her backpack, laughing about it with Pansy as we walked to Potions. Ron was a running joke among the Slytherins, and Malfoy was the one to thank for it.

For the entirety of Thursday, I managed to ignore Malfoy’s constant pestering. An apology never once fell from his lips, though he promised to buy me more nougat chunks, do my Transfiguration homework, even give himself detention. Anything that would make me forgive him.

It might’ve not been what I had initially anticipated, but the ongoing fight with Malfoy had made it easier to slip away at dinner that night. He simply just watched as I left the Great Hall, his eyes trailing me until I walked out of sight. Ginny and a few of her Gryffindor friends were waiting just out the door, and the group of us scampered down the hallway together.

The pacing in front of the Room of Requirement was a bit awkward, but after a minute of trying, the door revealed itself. Potter and Granger were already inside, the twins and Ron sitting in the corner. Others that I recognized from the Hog’s Head filtered in after us, and the room slowly began to fill with students. Granger had a sheet of parchment grasped in her hand as she eyed each new entering member.

I quickly shrugged off my Slytherin robes, balling them together underneath my schoolbag. My tie was shoved in the pocket immediately after, wanting to rid myself of any sign of my house. Zacharias caught my eye as he passed, his narrowed as he stared at me. 

“Still here, I see,” he sneered, and I was shocked such a sharp tone was coming from a Hufflepuff. Fred cleared his throat from beside me, his hands tucked into his pockets as he tilted his head at the boy.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest. Zacharias only rolled his eyes, coming to a stop in front of Fred and I.

“Word travels fast, Wilkinson. You and Malfoy are a thing, aren’t you?” he scoffed, and I felt my composure tighten as the words fell from his mouth. Fred didn’t seem to care, since he had known for months. “Now why would a Slytherin, especially one dating the esteemed Draco Malfoy, want to be part of Potter’s group? You do know they’re practically enemies, right?”

“I’m here because I want to be,” I snapped, my eyes narrowing. “Stay out of my business, you little troll.”

Zacharias didn’t look intimidated in the slightest, though he dropped the conversation and started to cross the room towards his Hufflepuff friends. He didn’t get more than three paces before Fred had muttered a spell, causing Zacharias’ shoelaces to tie themselves together. A second later, he was face-down on the ground, the loud thud echoing through the room.

Potter and Granger looked over at the sound, though Fred and I pretended to be in a deep conversation. It seemed to work, as the two Gryffindors turned away as Zacharias started to tug his shoelaces apart with a flush of embarrassment over his face. Fred slipped me a sneaky high-five, the two of us snickering as we returned to Ginny and George.

Once the group had assembled, Potter was immediately nominated as the leader. It was Chang’s suggestion, and a unanimous vote followed. Names of the group were thrown out afterwards, but I found myself simply listening. Fred suggested a couple funny ones, causing the entire room to erupt in laughter. Within ten minutes, we were now named Dumbledore’s Army after Ginny’s alteration. 

I didn’t have the largest affinity towards the name, especially given how Dumbledore had dealt with Jack’s replacement in the third task. However, I didn’t dare speak up. Being the only Slytherin was already enough of a struggle.

“Right,” Potter said, grasping his wand tightly as his eyes swept the room. It was quite spacious, though I supposed Potter had wished for that beforehand. “I was thinking, the first thing we should do is Expelliarmus. You know, the Disarming Charm. I know it’s pretty basic but I’ve found it really useful-”

“Oh, please,” Zacharias piped up, and I rolled my eyes. Fred scoffed from beside me, and George muttered something into his ear, vaguely along the lines of ‘Again?’ “I don’t think Expelliarmus is exactly going to help us against You-Know-Who, do you?”

“I’ve used it against him,” Potter countered without skipping a beat. “It saved my life last June.”

The room fell silent, and Zacharias flushed like he had in the Hog’s Head. His mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out.

“But if you think it’s beneath you, you can leave,” Potter shrugged, but no one moved. He waited a few seconds, like he was making sure no one would leave, but he eventually split us off into pairs. I partnered with Ginny, the two of us standing alongside Fred and George. However, the two were too busy with shooting spells towards Zacharias’ back. He didn’t know any better, looking at the tip of his wand like that was the reason he couldn’t say the incantation properly.

The room was soon filled with yelling, groans of defeat and the occasional skittering of a wand across the stone floor. I really hoped the walls were sound-proof, the group was being incredibly loud. If Umbridge were to catch us, I hadn’t a clue what she would do to punish us. Probably make us write lines until we severed our hands off.

“Expelliarmus!” Ginny shouted, though her spell was a bit off to the right. It shot past me, hitting the wall and dying a second later. I waited patiently until my wand was knocked from my grasp, and then I did the same to her. It took a couple tries, but her wand soon clattered to the ground. 

George yelled a particularly loud incantation, and with a sharp flick of his wrist, Fred’s wand came flying towards me. I ducked just in time, his wand searing through the air where my head had just been.

“Sorry, Olive!” George apologized through a laugh, but I only smiled and shook my head. Ginny and I continued to practice the disarming charm, but I couldn’t help but think about what George had said. He apologized so easily, so simply. But I knew he meant it, even through his laughter.

Why couldn’t Malfoy do the same? Or why wouldn’t he, perhaps.

\---

“The young Simmons is quite the impressive boy, isn’t he?” the Death Eater laughed, his identity concealed by his mask. Michael Simmons didn’t know him very well, only by the unique design. The other man had joined when the Dark Lord rose last summer. A friend of Crouch Jr.’s, he supposed.

“He is,” Michael said simply, raising his chin in the air. Caroline, Michael’s wife, swallowed audibly, but kept her mouth shut. Michael knew she wasn’t one to speak without being spoken to. It certainly wasn’t a submissive thing, rather that Caroline preferred to be calculative and particular with what she revealed to others. A trait he had taken a strong liking to as a young man, and even now. 

“I reckon your son just might snag the task right from under the young Malfoy’s nose,” the unknown Death Eater continued, now resting one elbow on the table. His hand floated absentmindedly through the air as he spoke, clearly not bothered by the situation. Lucius Malfoy had called a meeting, and had graciously offered his manor. Any children were at Hogwarts, Durmstrang, or Beauxbatons. “He is the youngest Death Eater ever, after all. Quite…how do I put it...admirable, perhaps?”

“Doubtful,” Michael kept his response brief, finally closing his mouth when he felt his wife place her hand on his knee. The Dark Lord was missing from the head of the table, and no one dared to sit opposite him. Even Lucius, the owner of the mansion, would sit alongside his wife.

“You should be proud if he does, Simmons,” the Death Eater continued. “If he succeeds, imagine the honor he will receive.” 

Caroline wanted to scream at the young, cocky Death Eater. There was nothing admirable about her son becoming a follower of the Dark Lord. If Jack had only listened, if he hadn’t taken the portkey with Potter and Diggory, he would’ve unknowingly bought himself another year to live as a normal wizard. She had tried, though, to tell him not to. And the Simmons’ weren’t a family to dwell on the past.

Her son was a Death Eater, and that was that.

Any conversation was immediately silenced by Lucius’ entrance. The dining room fell quiet, only breathing and the occasional swallow heard up and down the table. Caroline lifted her chin to match her husband’s, watching as Malfoy came to sit. 

She might’ve been silly, to assume that the Dark Lord would join them tonight. Caroline knew he was still gathering his health, hidden away in a location no one knew of. Even still, Lucius sat alongside Narcissa, leaving both heads of the table empty. The group of Death Eaters squirmed about, wiggling in their seats in anticipation. Most of them found it exciting, watching the initiation of new members. Caroline watched as Lucius’ gaze never left the table, even after he cleared his throat. And he said precisely what she had been dreading.

“The Dark Lord will choose between Draco and Jack within the next few months.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> totally did not mean to go MIA these past couple days lolol it just kinda happened  
> anyways happy late thanksgiving everyone!! officially the christmas season lol i'm hyped


	55. chapter fifty-two

Friday was another day of ignoring Malfoy. The first quidditch match of the school year was tomorrow at one, which meant I got a quiet afternoon away from him while he ran the team through drills. Umbridge had cleared the Gryffindor team a couple weeks ago, but they hadn’t had the same intensity or number of practices as Slytherin did. They were often rearranged anyways, since Hogwarts was experiencing a particularly nasty autumn.

Luckily for me, Flitwick had scheduled an in-class essay for Friday’s Charms. He was still emphasizing the importance of O.W.L.s, and he claimed that these in-class essays would help us succeed in the long-answer sections of the test. We had only done one before this one, but the prompt hadn’t been unbearably bad.

The number of “Weasley is our King” buttons had quadrupled throughout the Slytherin house. Last night, Pansy had performed numerous duplication spells on Malfoy’s initial buttons, and soon enough, everyone had one pinned on their robes and another on their schoolbag. Even Jack had one right underneath his prefect badge, laughing with the others about how easy the game would be.

“Thanks, mate,” I heard Malfoy chuckle from beside me, talking to another fifth-year Slytherin who had stopped at our desk. Flitwick was waiting until everyone was seated to start the essay, and we still had another few minutes until the belltower rung. “Match is in the bag, even if I don’t get the snitch before Potter. Weasley can’t block shit, I reckon we’ll be up by the one-sixty before he puts his helmet on right.”

I snuck a glance at Tomas, who was a rather large Irish boy. Honestly, it had surprised me when Malfoy didn’t pick him as a Beater when he showed up at tryouts in September. He had four buttons down the collar of his robe, all reading the same thing. “‘Ouse cup is d’finitely ours,” Tomas laughed, agreeing with Malfoy. I rolled my eyes at their conversation, angrily dropping my roll of parchment onto the desk.

“‘Ello, Olive,” Tomas greeted, but he was only met with my glare. Malfoy stiffened beside me, but I couldn’t tell if it was because Tomas was giving me attention or that it was the first time I had even remotely looked in Malfoy’s direction all day.

“Piss off, Tomas,” I snapped back at him, and his eyebrows raised. Tomas’ mouth twisted into an impressed frown, his arms crossing over his chest before he looked back to Malfoy.

“Quite a feisty shag you’ve got y’self, Malfoy,” Tomas snickered, and I saw Malfoy’s fists clench out of the corner of my eye. I didn’t care that Tomas had called me a shag, I was rather more amused by Malfoy’s reaction.

“She’s not a shag, you dimwit,” Malfoy spat at him, his mouth pressing into a firm line afterwards. His demeanor changed in an instant. “Do as she said and piss off.”

Tomas shook his head in disbelief as he looked between the two of us, but he eventually turned on his heel and retreated to his seat. Malfoy inhaled like he was about to say something, but Flitwick cut him off as he began the class.

“Parchment and quills out, please! Today’s essay prompt is written on the board, please do take note before you start! I suggest you read carefully,” he announced, his eyes sweeping over the classroom. The students immediately settled into a silence, everyone squinting at the board.

“Wilkinson,” Malfoy whispered from beside me, but I ignored him as I laid my parchment out neatly. He muttered my name again, but after one of Flitwick’s looks, he bit his tongue. The class went by relatively quickly given the essay, and I found myself walking to History of Magic before I even knew it.

I had excused myself for the girls’ restroom before Binns started the lecture, meaning I gave myself another few moments free of Malfoy’s pestering. Last night, after the Dumbledore’s Army meeting, I was able to slip back into the Slytherin common room unnoticed. I stayed in my dormitory all evening, even pretending to be asleep when Katie slipped in and passed along a message that Malfoy wanted to talk.

By the time I returned from the restroom, Binns had already started his new lesson on Giant wars. All of September and a few weeks of October were spent learning about the Medieval Assembly of European Wizards, which was about as boring as you would expect. Binns had assigned a massive essay a couple weeks back, and the entire group had turned it into a competition for who had the longest roll of parchment. Crabbe and Jack had the least at barely two feet, and Malfoy had won with five and a half.

Having a ghost as a professor was usually quite interesting, but I groaned when I realized I would have to walk through him to get to my seat alongside Malfoy. I gave Binns a small smile and a nod as I slipped through him, a sudden chill running down my spine the second I passed. Jack snickered at my shiver, watching as I crossed in front of his table and collapsed down next to Malfoy.

The class went by incredibly slowly, the topic of Giant wars much more mind-numbing than I thought it would’ve been. Binns rounded off the class with no homework assignment for the weekend, which meant he was met with cheers and clapping when the belltower rung.

“Wilkinson!” Malfoy nearly hissed as we were walking out of History of Magic. Jack and the others were in front of us, already skipping down one of the moving staircases. The entire school was released for our lunch period, so a mass of students were shuffling towards the Great Hall.

Pretending as if I couldn’t hear, I started to jog to catch up with Katie. I hadn’t expected Malfoy to grab my sleeve, yanking me backwards and off to the side. Before I could realize what had happened, I was standing with him in the shadows of the hallway. Students were too hungry to notice, and the fourth-floor crowd was already beginning to thin.

“What! What could you possibly want?” I finally gave in, and a look of relief washed over Malfoy’s features. He immediately masked them, though, his face falling serious yet again. We hadn’t spoken in nearly two days, and I had been hellbent on extending it until he got me alone.

“The buttons were a stupid idea,” he said simply, shrugging. I nearly laughed in his face.

“Everyone in Slytherin is wearing one!” I exclaimed, my gaze falling onto his own “Weasley is our King” button that sat beneath his prefect badge. “No doubt thanks to Pansy.”

“Uh,” Malfoy responded awkwardly, once hand reaching up to scratch at the back of his neck. “She might’ve written a song, I think she’s planning on teaching everyone it for the match tomorrow.” 

“Of course she did,” I groaned, looking out the stained-glass window we were standing by. The windows around Binns’ classroom were an array of historical events in Wizard history, somewhat placed in order. In this particular one, my eyes traced over a depiction of the goblin uprising a few hundred years ago. “Did you and her work on it together?”

“Are you jealous of Pansy?” he scoffed, though his eyebrow raised. I rolled my eyes, wondering just how he managed to evade my question yet again. Truthfully, I wasn’t extremely jealous. Sure, I was a bit irked that Pansy had so willingly volunteered herself to duplicate the buttons, but I’d like to believe Malfoy took a stronger liking to me than he did her.

“No,” I shook my head, but Malfoy looked like he didn’t believe it. I caught onto his suspicion, and my eyes rolled once more. “That’s the difference between you and I, Malfoy. I don’t get jealous of others.”

Malfoy opened his mouth to make a rebuttal, but I interrupted him. “Help me out here, Malfoy. Why, for the love of God, are you still so hung up on the Weasleys? You and I both know that my relationship-” his spine straightened at my choice of words, so I tried to soften them as I continued. “With each of them is completely platonic. They’re my friends, and I’m absolutely done with you treating them like shit!”

I finished my argument with a huff, my eyebrows furrowed together as I looked up at Malfoy. His lips were pursed, but his eyes had softened and he looked like he was genuinely thinking about what I just said.

“I-” he started, but he stopped himself and his mouth closed. I was reminded of his flusteredness in the potions classroom the night before the term started, his inability to properly communicate what he wanted to say. It took everything in me to not flare up and poke at him for an answer. We had grown past that, matured over the last few months. So, instead, I took a deep breath and reached for his hands. 

I held them tightly, my fingers wrapping under his and my thumbs swiping over the back of his hands. His nerves seemed to calm under my touch, and his gaze settled on our hands. “I, I-” he tried again, but it was like the words got stuck in his throat. Angry with himself, Malfoy ripped his hands from my grasp and he turned away. His shoulders rose and fell with each forced breath, his focus pointed out the same goblin-adorned window. Sweeping the quad outside, his eyes looked everywhere but me.

He mumbled another few words, but they were all incoherent and I couldn’t attribute meaning to any of them.

His sudden change in demeanor left me dumb-founded, not sure what to do. It was so easy to take the easy route, to leave him standing there alone while I ran off to lunch. It was so easy to abandon the conversation, and pretend like the fight never even happened. But I knew it wasn’t realistic, that we couldn’t work like this.

“Draco,” I murmured, and his head immediately snapped over to me. Typically, I reserved his first name for moments like these, where we were opening up to one another without even doing so intentionally. I certainly hadn’t expected to be having this conversation right now, but I ignored the grumbling of my stomach.

“Why are you treating the Weasleys like this?” I reiterated my question, though I phrased it differently. Hopefully in a soft enough manner that he would feel comfortable enough to tell me the truth. He sighed, glancing back out the window as his arms folded over one another on the sill. 

I approached him quietly, my bag bumping against my side as I walked. One of my hands snuck up his back, coming to a rest between his shoulder blades. I could feel his heart still pounding against his ribcage, but the beating was rhythmic and steady.

“It’s just - fuck,” he sighed, propping his elbows on the windowsill as his hands covered his face. A moment later, he dragged them down over his cheeks, coming to a rest on his jaw. My hand slid up from his back, coming to cup his shoulder as I leaned into him. Carefully, I laid my cheek on top of my hand, the material of his robes tickling the tip of my nose. 

“You were so,” Malfoy began to explain, so I didn’t dare move. I blinked slowly, taking in the scent of his cologne. He always sprayed the back of his neck, claiming the smell lasted longer there. “So, excited, on the train ride here. I know we were still in a fight about Weasley, but I was listening when we were all talking about our summers. When you mentioned the quidditch pick-up matches with them, when one of the twins woke you up with that absolute rubbish of a so-called mouse product.”

I smiled at the memory, and a small chuckle escaped at his description of the robotic mouse. “I mean, Merlin, Olive. You come to my house and all you get is brutally interrogated by my father and a stiff-ass hug from my mother,” he sighed, and I felt my heart break when he finally admitted what had been bothering him all along. Being with the Weasleys was easy, it was like being home with my parents before they died. But it was too easy, there wasn’t a challenge, there wasn’t a constant back-and-forth with any of them like I had with Malfoy.

“I know my parents don’t know we’re dating, but I just can’t help but think-” his voice broke, and a shaky inhale followed. I lifted my head, peering around his shoulder so I could see his face. His gaze was steady out the window, though his bottom lip was trembling.

“What?” I urged him on quietly, my hand beginning to rub small circles into his back to reassure him. Malfoy was quiet for a few moments, like he was gathering his thoughts so he could say precisely what he wanted to.

“If they treat you like this now, how would they treat you if they knew you were my girlfriend?” he thought out loud. “I mean, my father practically stuck you to the wall with the amount of questions he had, and all of them were meant to intimidate you. I just don’t know what he would do if he knew. I don’t like not knowing, you know that.”

I wasn’t quite sure what to say, so I bit down on my lip as I laid my head back in the prior position. He continued through a combination of broken statements, clearly not knowing what he was going to say next. “And I hate that I’m even saying this...considering it even...I suppose it could be jealousy or something...but what if-”

“No,” I cut him off, already knowing what he was going to ask. “You know that I want to be with you, and only you, Draco. So stop making Ron’s life hell, okay? I promise you, I’ll roll over dead before I go out with him instead of you.”

A small chuckle left Malfoy’s mouth, and I could feel his ego practically inflating beneath me. He stood up slowly, allowing me time so I could stand up straight. Turning so his back was pressed against the stone wall, his hands found their natural place on my hips. Malfoy agreed much faster than I expected.

“Fine.”

\---

By the time Potions started, Malfoy had shoved his button far into a pocket of his schoolbag. No one questioned him about it, but the other Slytherins kept theirs on. Part of me presumed they hadn’t even noticed. 

Snape had us brew a potion for our class period, which meant that Malfoy and I had the majority of time to do nothing since we finished so early. Jack and Goyle worked opposite us like normal, the two bickering back and forth about what the next ingredient was, how much, what color the potion should be, whatever could be fought over. 

The day before matches, Malfoy usually scheduled a fairly long practice. However, given the confidence he had in the team, it was cancelled and the group of us found ourselves in the common room after dinner. Jack was stretching out his arm using the mantle of the fireplace, claiming that his throwing arm was feeling a bit sore after a week of cruel practice. Malfoy simply scoffed at his opinion.

I sat on one of the couches alongside Malfoy, my legs tossed over his as his arms stretched over the back of the couch. He was wearing his new quidditch sweater, the material a bit rougher than the one that was currently stowed away in my dresser. I hadn’t gotten the chance to return it to him, but he had never asked for it.

My fingers lazily traced the seven that was embroidered on his chest, my head resting on his shoulder. Katie was telling a story, but given my lack of attention, I had no idea what it was about. Malfoy yawned from underneath me, one hand clenching into a fist in front of his mouth.

It was only a bit past seven, but the long school week had worn me out. Classes were beginning to increase in difficulty, and professors had started to assign more and more homework. Snape had closed today’s class with an essay on the syrup of Hellebore, but I was planning to ignore it until Sunday night.

Jack and Blaise’s voices were faint as my eyes fluttered shut, my ears just barely hearing them discuss the different plays that Malfoy had devised for the year. Malfoy’s chest rumbled as he conversed with them, his hand cupping my shoulder lightly. I fell asleep on him without meaning to, he was just too comfortable.

When I woke, Malfoy had somehow changed our positions without waking me. He was on his back, stretched out along the couch and he had me on top of him. One arm was bent behind his head, small puffs of air leaving his mouth as he slept. The common room was nearly pitch black, the only light coming from the moonlight streaming through the window. He and I were the only ones in the room, he must’ve stayed behind when the others left.

I turned my head so my left cheek rested on his chest and I could stare into the fire. It crackled warmly, small embers escaping from the fireplace and drifting high towards the ceiling. Malfoy’s other hand was placed on my back, though I had caused it to slip off when I moved. A small groan came from him as he lifted his back from the couch, which meant I went along for the small ride. As he readjusted himself with another few small noises, I looked up to see his eyelids still shut. 

The moonlight casted perfect shadows down his face, his lips slightly frowning in his sleep. I don’t think it was because he was upset, but rather the natural position they took while he was unconscious. Once he stopped squirming, his hand slipped past my side and onto my back again. His fingers fisted the material of my sweater, pulling me impossibly closer into him.

I don’t know exactly when, but I fell asleep again. He was awake first the next time, his body stirring under mine and causing my eyes to flitter open. The common room was still dark, and a sliver of the moon could be seen through the window. It hadn’t moved much which meant we hadn’t been asleep for very long.

“Hi,” he murmured, his hand skimming up his back and resting on the top of my head. It was unbelievably quiet in the common room, the only sounds coming from his beating heart and the small crackles of the firewood.

“Hi,” I whispered back. It felt right to keep my voice low, to match the ambience of the room. My lips curved into a smile against his chest when his fingers began to rake through my hair, traveling from my scalp down to the ends. 

“So beautiful,” his voice was small, but I knew it was only because of tiredness. My heart still swelled at the compliment, and I lifted my head so I could rest my chin on the back of my left hand. My right travelled up and down his side for a few moments, before it came to poke at his cheek. His eyes shut again, turning away from my gentle assault. 

I let out a weak chuckle as my finger continued to prod at his face, though I made sure to keep my touch extremely light. Eventually, after I had traced both his eyebrows and the slope of his nose, I let my fingers slip into his hair. Malfoy had surprisingly soft locks, especially when he didn’t have any product in.

“So handsome,” I reciprocated, my forefinger tracing down his temple when he smiled. Without thinking, my fingertip outlined the curves of his lips, over his cupid’s bow and down where his bottom lip slightly pouted outwards. Too entranced with his features, I completely missed when his tongue darted out and licked across the pad of my finger. I only noticed when he let out a snicker, his eyes slowly opening to meet mine.

The shade his irises held was unique. Welcoming, yet cold at the same time. I suppose it depended on how he was feeling, or if you knew to look for the soft edges of the colored circles. My gaze flicked back and forth between his right and left eye, though he kept his steady. I craved the state we were currently in, too delirious and tired to do anything more than just rest against one another. 

“Where’d you get that?” I murmured once I noticed the faintest scar that sliced through his eyebrow. I had never seen it before, even in the close intimacy we had shared prior.

“Ran into the dining room table when I was four,” he responded simply, the hand on my back slipping around to rest on my waist. Like he had in his sleep earlier, he tightened his grip, though he was conscious enough to hold it for longer.

It was like he had read my mind when he answered the question I was just about to ask. “My father said I needed to learn from it, so my mum didn’t use a healing spell.”

“You were four,” I scoffed. I often found Mr. Malfoy’s theories and ideologies to be irrational, and this was no exception.

“Was a hell of a speed demon, though. Shoulda gone professional,” Malfoy chuckled tiredly, his eyes shutting once more. I shimmied to the left, falling in between the back of the couch and Malfoy’s side. As much as I loved laying on his chest, my neck was at an odd position. He hummed happily beside me, scooting a few centimeters outwards so I would be comfortable. 

My place in his side was found within seconds, our bodies molding perfectly with one another as my head tucked into the crook between his shoulder and neck. I pressed a quick good-night kiss under his jaw, holding my lips against the skin for a couple moments. It didn’t take long for us to slip away into unconsciousness again.

\---

With Blaise now on the team, it was a bit odd to only sit with Katie and Pansy in the stands. Crabbe sat a few rows behind us, alongside some fifth and sixth-years. As usual, Snape held his spot in the far back, his narrow eyes watching the match unfold.

Currently, Slytherin was up by fifty points within the first five minutes. Jack and Blaise had a natural chemistry with one another, the two nimbly slipping around Gryffindor’s Chasers and towards the goalposts. Katie was overjoyed to see her boyfriend playing so well, jumping and yelling excitedly whenever he scored.

“Gryffindor’s back in possession with Bell tearing down the field - oh!” Lee Jordan called through the microphone, his gaze following Bell towards the Slytherin goals. “Bludger comes straight from Goyle - quaffle’s out of her grip - it’s falling, falling - snatched up by Zabini!”

The Slytherin stands erupted in cheering as Blaise saved the quaffle. Johnson and Spinnet, two of Gryffindor’s Chasers, immediately flanked him. Suddenly, Blaise hurled the quaffle straight into the sky. Jack sliced through the air above them, clutching the ball under his arm as he barreled straight for Ron.

He hadn’t been able to block a shot all game, and I was certain that the Slytherin team was beginning to become cocky about it. I could almost see the smirk on Jack’s face as he pitched the quaffle towards Ron, and it was through the hoop a second later.

“Another ten points for Slytherin, that makes the score sixty-nil,” Lee commented rather solemnly, clearly biased towards Gryffindor. I watched as Malfoy punched the air after Jack’s score, one hand gripping the handle of his broom tightly. He and Potter were hovering high in the air, though on different ends of the field. 

“Come on, everyone!” Pansy yelled from beside me, shuffling around on the bench so she could face the rest of the Slytherins. The clapping and whooping subsided for a second, and I raised an eyebrow until I realized what Pansy was starting.

“Weasley cannot save a thing,  
He cannot block a single ring,  
That’s why Slytherins all sing:  
Weasley is our King.”

The Slytherin stands began to sing, each line louder than the last. Crabbe had his arms around the shoulders of those around him, the line of boys swaying back and forth in time with the song. Even Katie was yelling the lyrics at the top of her lungs, her and Pansy falling into a fit of giggles when the song came to a breaking point.

“Weasley was born in a bin,  
He always lets the Quaffle in,  
Weasley will make sure we win,  
Weasley is our King!”

Turning away from the singing, my eyes swept the field. Jack flew past Blaise slowly, the two slapping their palms together as they congratulated the other on a solid play. Malfoy ducked from his high position, probably to discuss with the others about what to do next.

Clearly irritated with both the song and the lack of goals, Johnson nearly pushed Slytherin’s other Chaser off his broom and got the quaffle. Pucey blocked her shot easily, and I saw her shoulders drop as she shook her head and retreated to the Gryffindor half of the field. 

“Zabini’s got the quaffle again!” Lee’s voice rang through the quidditch pitch, and the singing faded as we watched Blaise and Jack race up the length of the field. “Simmons and Zabini are completely out of bludger range, only left with facing the Keeper now…another ten points to Slytherin…”

Pansy raised her hands in the air like she was Flitwick directing the choir, and the Slytherins started the song back up.

“Weasley is our King,  
Weasley is our King,  
He always lets the Quaffle in,  
Weasley is our King.”

I never thought I would ever find a need for my wand at a quidditch match, but I found myself unsheathing it from my robes. Pointing the tip at Pansy’s back, I kept my gaze steady on the field as my lips murmured a quiet spell. “Silencio.” 

Pansy’s lips kept moving as she continued to sing, but nothing was coming out. Quickly, I pocketed my wand and wrung both my hands around the metal railing. Sneaking a quick glance at her, her eyebrows were furrowed as her fingers came up to rub her lips and I snickered to myself.

With Pansy no longer leading the group, the song faded away until only Crabbe was bellowing alone. When another fifth-year jabbed him in the stomach with his elbow, Crabbe stopped. Potter suddenly ducked towards the ground, Malfoy a split-second behind him as they fought for the snitch. A hush of excitement fell in a wave around the stands, everyone now looking to see who would win the game. 

I winced when Goyle hit a bludger directly towards the two Seekers. It skimmed past Malfoy’s shoulder, but ended up smacking Potter directly in the middle of his back. They were close enough to the ground so his fall wasn’t very long, but Malfoy’s frantic head movements told me he had either lost the snitch, or it was in Potter’s hand.

Hooch glided over the field immediately, hopping off when she was close enough. Each team had touched down next to Malfoy and Potter. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Malfoy looked extremely pissed. Hooch held Potter’s hand in the air, signifying that Gryffindor had won the match. The match that Malfoy had been so confident that Slytherin would take.

“Saved Weasley’s neck, haven’t you?” Malfoy sneered, his hand wrapping tightly around the handle of his broom as the bristles rested on the ground. “I’ve never seen a worse Keeper, but then again, he was born in a bin. Did you like the song, Potter?”

“What’s going on?” Katie muttered from beside me, her gaze trained on the same thing mine was. Jack and Blaise came to stand on either side of Malfoy, Goyle and the other Beater behind them. The Slytherin team was rather intimidating, their matching brooms and gear and such.

“We wanted to write another couple of verses!” Malfoy called out when Potter turned, catching his attention once more. Potter’s mouth set into a firm line, and Ron awkwardly looked anywhere but Malfoy. His gaze eventually fell to the ground, and I watched as one of the twins (I couldn’t tell who from this far away) rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. Whatever Malfoy was saying, I was certain it wasn’t good.

“But it’s hard to rhyme anything with fat and ugly. You know, for his mother?” Malfoy pressed on, and Fred’s hand fell from Ron’s shoulder. Ron looked up at the insult as well, the three Weasleys immediately flaring up as Malfoy attacked their family. “And then, useless loser doesn’t fit in very well either. For his father, of course.”

I gasped when one of the twins started for Malfoy, his broom long forgotten. Malfoy took a few steps backwards, though the rest of the team laughed at the twin’s poor attempt. 

“Leave it. He’s just sore they lost, you know that, Fred,” Johnson muttered, her hand wrapping around Fred’s bicep and tugging him away. Bell grabbed his other arm, the two girls digging their heels in the grass to keep him contained.

“For whatever reason, Wilkinson takes a liking to your smelly family,” Malfoy scoffed, glancing over at Jack and Blaise for encouragement. Blaise had a small smirk on his face, clearly enjoying the show. Jack’s was a bit more hesitant, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as his eyes darted between Malfoy and the Gryffindor team. 

“She’s too good for you, Malfoy. And everyone knows it,” Potter snapped back, and Malfoy’s jaw clenched tightly. 

“We treat her loads better than you ever have,” Fred chimed in, taking advantage of Malfoy’s sudden muteness.

Ron felt a burst of confidence once the others started talking back to Malfoy. “I would’ve asked her to the Yule Ball myself, had Simmons not asked her first. Never know what woulda come out of that.” It was a lie, something to get back at Malfoy. But no one was there to tell Malfoy otherwise. His anger and jealousy consumed him, his breaking point finally reached.

“Oh, my God!” Katie breathed out from beside me, and I looked over to see Potter’s fist collide with Malfoy’s stomach. I had been mentally urging Hooch to return to the teams, but her back was to them, busy berating our sixth-year Beater for an illegal move he had made. Malfoy folded in half instantaneously, his robes flying outwards dramatically.

Before I could stop myself, I had pushed two first-years aside, clambering down the wooden stairs of the stands. George had kneed Malfoy in the eye while he was bent over, a bruise already spreading down over his cheekbone. Katie was paces behind me, the two of us sprinting out of the gathered crowd under the stands and across the field.

Hooch blew her whistle before we approached, causing Potter and George to back away. Johnson and Bell were still wrapped around Fred’s arms, though his heavy breathing told me he wanted to land a punch just as much as George. Katie immediately ran to Blaise’s side, her eyes scouring his face for any bruises or cuts. He and Jack didn’t have any, though Goyle had gotten himself involved in the altercation. His bottom lip was split open after a swift hit from Potter.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Hooch screamed, putting herself between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins. The groups fell into a silence, Potter sniffling up his bloody nose as he panted. Ron’s hair was tousled as well, though I didn’t know if it was from the match or the fight. Johnson and Bell finally released Fred, his arms crossing over his chest a second later.

Malfoy had collapsed on the ground, and I dropped to my knees beside him. His bruise was darkening before my eyes, blood leaking from his right nostril. The usually perfect fair skin was dirtied and cut up, and my heart leapt at the sight.

“I’ve never seen behavior like it - back up to the castle, both of you, and straight to your Head of House’s office!” Hooch continued, and I looked up. Her gaze was focused on George and Potter, completely ignoring Malfoy’s limp body on the ground. “Go! Now!”

Malfoy groaned from below me, rolling onto his side and hiding his face in my thigh. I didn’t care about the inevitable blood stain it would leave behind, I’m sure there was a spell to clean it up.

“Not you,” I reassured him, my voice soft as my fingers ran through his hair. He had put up a rather good fight towards the end of the match, his locks slightly damp with the effort he exerted. I wasn’t sure what had happened, though I was certain it would take a combination of each side’s story to piece together the truth.

Potter and George huffed in annoyance, both glaring down at Malfoy’s crumpled body before they turned and walked side-by-side up the hill. Jack had picked up Malfoy’s broom, holding the two as he walked over to us.

Forty minutes later, Malfoy had been looked over by Pomfrey. A few stitches to the lip, an icebag for his eye. Dried blood from his nose still dotted his quidditch robes. I was sitting on the bed next to him, my legs swinging back and forth. 

“Wilkinson?” he asked quietly, opening his good eye. My head shot up at his call, and I hopped off the bed to stand alongside him. I took his free hand in mine, my thumb running over his knuckles as he hummed in contentment.

“You need to tell me what happened. And don’t you dare lie to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y’all i’ve got protein powder coming this week and i’ve never been more excited lolol
> 
> I hope you all had a fun and safe thanksgiving weekend!! I’m definitely not looking forward to these next couple weeks of lecture + finals


	56. chapter fifty-three

“You need to tell me what happened. And don’t you dare lie to me.”

Malfoy sighed at my words, pushing the back of his head into the pillow. His hand readjusted the icepack on his eye, his pale fingers wrapping tightly around the knob. He was quiet for a few moments, probably thinking about what he was going to say.

“I just got heated because we lost the match-”

“I know that, I’m asking what happened,” I cut him off, and he raised his head from the pillow and shot me a look. Immediately regretting my interruption, I bit down on my tongue and shifted my hip onto the mattress of the small hospital bed. Malfoy scooted over a few inches, making room so I could sit comfortably. 

Once I was settled, I sandwiched Malfoy’s free hand between my two. He watched me intently, a small scowl on his lips until his knee bumped against my hip. I shoved his leg away playfully, smiling once I realized the gesture had replaced Malfoy’s scowl with a grin.

“Potter snagged the snitch out from right under my nose. I lost the game to that goddamn Gryffindor yet again,” he snapped, obviously irritated with himself. I kept quiet, happy that Malfoy was actually speaking freely.

“The field, Malfoy,” I reminded him what I asked for. It didn’t take a genius to know that Malfoy would be angry after losing the game he had promised everyone he would win.

“But, I - uh, I insinuated the Weasleys’ mum was fat and ugly, and that their father was a useless loser,'' his voice dropped to a near whisper, and my eyes widened once my mind registered his words. Malfoy had danced around the subject, but I waded through his flowery jargon and realized that he had, in fact, called Mrs. Weasley fat and ugly and Mr. Weasley a useless loser. Before I could think twice, I sent a sharp slap to his thigh. He flinched at the contact, his knee bending upwards as he retreated his leg from me. The icepack was long forgotten, somehow ending up on the ground in all the commotion.

“What was that for?” he huffed, snatching his hand from mine and rubbing the spot I had slapped. I shot him a bewildered look, surprised that he would even ask. 

“You called her fat and ugly? You can’t do that, Malfoy!” I nearly screeched, standing from the side of his bed. Frantically, his eyes swept from my previous spot up to my face, clearly fumbling for the right thing to say. Anything to plant my bum right back on the bed, to keep me sitting alongside him.

“I didn’t mean it!” I rolled my eyes at his poor excuse. “Besides, Pansy was the one that came up with all the lyrics. I made one joke about him being born in a bin and she took off with it,” he shook his head, leaning over the other side of the bed. Instinctively, my hand wrapped around his free wrist, helping him keep his balance as he snatched the icepack from the ground.

I dropped my hand the second he sat upright, crossing my arms over my chest to prevent myself from touching him any more. “You’re a real asshole for that, you know that right?”

It was Malfoy’s turn to roll his eyes, shoving the icepack against the bruise as he slunk further beneath the sheets. Hiding away from me, almost.

“Who threw the first hit?” I suddenly remembered only seeing Potter sock Malfoy in the stomach, since I hadn’t been looking until Katie got my attention. Maybe I had missed something. Given Hooch’s reaction, I was guessing it was Potter or George.

“Potter did,” Malfoy practically spat, though I knew he wasn’t angry at me, rather at Potter. “And then that twat of a Weasley twin kneed me in the eye right after.” His free hand gestured to the icepack, the muscles in his shoulder twitching as he sighed.

“Why?” I pressed further, and Malfoy averted his gaze to meet mine. He gave me a sassy look, but I only threw a glare back.

“Potter...and the twins…and the one in our year...even Johnson, I think…” he paused between each name, like he was assuring himself what had happened. “They were all saying this shit about how I don’t deserve you, how they treat you better than I do, and I know it’s all true but Merlin, Wilkinson!” Malfoy continued to ramble, a rather jumbled stream of thought escaping his mouth. “Merlin, I got so mad with myself...and with them, of course...that I couldn’t even see straight, I swear.”

I shifted my weight from one foot to another, trying to convince myself Malfoy was telling me the truth. It seemed like he was, even through his incoherence.

“I don’t know why they...attacked me...I didn’t even move a muscle,” I nearly chuckled at his overdramatics. It was a schoolyard fight, Potter and the Weasleys weren’t sacrificing Malfoy to Buckbeak.

“I-” I started, but Malfoy interrupted me. His fingertips had started to play with the hem of the bedsheet, which meant he was nervous about something.

“Ron said he was going to ask you to the Yule Ball, that you two could’ve been dating. Is that true?” he asked quietly, his eyes darting everywhere but me. My eyes widened at his question, my arms unfolding from one another slowly. I reached up to run my fingers through my hair, thinking. I guess I must’ve taken too long to answer, as Malfoy suddenly sat up, the icepack brought to a rest beside his thigh. 

“I was right, wasn’t I?” he snapped, and I rolled my eyes. The boy couldn’t let anything go, too immersed in his own insecurities and doubts to pull his head out of the sand and look around. Raising my hand, I pressed my palm against his mouth so I could talk without him butting in with his opinion.

“I had no clue Ron was going to ask me, though it sounds like a lie if you ask me. I’ve only really talked to Ginny before this year, you know that,” I reminded him harshly, like I needed to embroider the words on his robes. “As nice as Ron is, I can’t see myself dating him. Ever, honest.”

Malfoy’s shoulders relaxed, but I didn’t trust him to keep his mouth shut. So I kept my hand clamped over his lips, raising an eyebrow as I continued. “I like being with you Malfoy, but I don’t like seeing you act like this. It’s childish and immature, and you need to snap out of it.”

We both stared at each other for a silent moment. Pomfrey was attending to a sick Ravenclaw, and I was assuming McGonagall would send Potter and George for a quick check-up on their injuries. They certainly weren’t to the extent of Malfoy’s, but she seemed like a worry-wart.

Tentatively, I withdrew my hand from Malfoy’s mouth. I was waiting for him to lash back with his own wrong opinion, but a small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth instead. “Tell me, Wilkinson. What makes me so much better than Weasley?”

I should’ve known better, should’ve expected his ego to make an appearance. But at least he wasn’t denying my request, and I felt like it was a small step in the right direction.

“Promise me you’ll leave the Weasleys alone, and I’ll tell you,” I proposed, holding my pinky finger in the air. Malfoy’s eyebrow arched at my gesture, clearly confused at what I soon realized was probably a Muggle-only custom. 

Reaching down, I grabbed ahold of his hand, bringing his pinky to wrap around mine. “What-” he breathed out, watching as I held his finger tightly.

“Pinky promise, it’s a Muggle thing,” I shrugged, and Malfoy’s eyes glinted with interest.

“Candy-filled unicorns and odd hand swears? However did you live in that world for so many years?” he teased, the Malfoy I was used to seeping through. But he kept his finger wrapped around mine.

“Promise me, Malfoy.”

“I promise.”

Once he gave me his word, I returned to my prior position on his bed, my legs dangling off the edge. “You, Mr. Malfoy, are the one I want because you’re bloody attractive,” I figured I’d start with the most obvious. “You’re challenging, you’re stubborn, but you’re incredibly fierce about what you want.”

Malfoy immediately soaked up the compliments, shooting me a lazy smile as he leaned back against the pillow. His eye was still swollen shut, the dark hue of the bruise a sharp contrast to the fairness of his skin. His lip was adorned with a few, thin stitches, making his smile slightly lopsided. He still looked beautiful through all the injuries.

“You, Miss Wilkinson,” he tried to imitate Snape’s voice, but we both chuckled when he failed right out the gate. Clearing his throat, he continued. “Miss Wilkinson, you’re the one I want because you’re bloody beautiful,” I giggled at his reciprocation. “You’re driven, you’re steadfast, and, most of all, you’ve got the best bum in Slytherin.”

My mouth dropped at his last compliment, though Malfoy only snickered at my reaction. He frowned and shrugged, as if to say it had always been painfully obvious. I was about to shoot back with my own retort, but I saw Pomfrey spinning around from the corner of my eye.

“How’re you feeling, Malfoy, dear?” Pomfrey asked as she approached, and I turned to face her.

“‘M alright,” he muttered, replacing the icepack on his eye. She nodded, glanced between the two of us, and shuffled away.

“I’ll let you rest, we still have that essay on the syrup of Hellebore to get done,” I reminded him, patting his shin as I slipped off the bed. Before I could get even a pace away, I felt Malfoy’s fingers wrap around my wrist and pull me back to him. I stumbled back to the side of the bed, my thighs hitting the edge in an instant. He sat up, and his free hand released my wrist to travel to the back of my head. Carefully, he guided me to his waiting lips. Even now, our kisses sent sparks throughout my body, my mind going blank for the moments we were pressed together.

I was the first to pull away, worried that Pomfrey might’ve seen. Her back was to us though, something that I’m sure Malfoy took note of before pulling his little stunt. His hand trailed from my head down my arm, coming to a rest on my forearm.

“I’ll be sure to be back by dinner. Pomfrey can’t keep me forever,” he promised, shooting me the same lazy smirk he always held after we kissed. I nodded, stepping backwards a few strides as I retreated from his bed. Before I could get out of earshot, I turned on my heel and faced him once more.

Malfoy was fiddling with his sweater, pulling the material away from his chest so he could see where the dried blood was. He was so entranced in what he was doing that he didn’t notice me staring for a few moments. When he finally looked up, I already had my response ready. It was somewhat of an empty threat, but I’m sure Malfoy would know what I meant.

“I’m serious, Malfoy. You make any more fun of the Weasleys and I’ll kill you.”

\---

Things were a bit tense between the Weasleys and the Slytherins for a while. It was like I was a carrier owl, running between the two each day. Ginny seemed a tad more uptight when I spoke to her, and Fred’s usual playfulness with me had faded. The Monday after the match, I had apologized to them on Malfoy’s behalf, though I wasn’t sure if they fully believed me. 

Umbridge had banned Potter and George from the Gryffindor team, as well as Fred for whatever reason. For eternity, as she had apparently put it. From what I gathered from both sides, Fred had never landed a hit, though he had yelled a few choice words. Their broomsticks were aptly confiscated, which meant Johnson had to run tryouts once more to fill their spots. When we were alone, Malfoy admitted that with Potter gone, maybe Slytherin had a real chance at the House Cup.

It wasn’t until I had practically decimated each and every “Weasley is our King” button that Ginny’s smile returned, Fred resuming the tousling of my hair whenever he walked past in a Dumbledore’s Army meeting. The task was more pain-staking than I would’ve thought, but Malfoy’s influence was incredibly useful. Within a couple days, nearly all of the buttons were absent from Slytherin robes and schoolbags. A few still floated around, but it was nothing compared to the weeks prior.

The schedule for the Dumbledore’s Army meetings had been quite flexible, since it needed to be accommodated for three different quidditch teams, as well as Umbridge’s sudden nightly patrol of the halls. There were rumors floating around that she was thinking up a group of some sort, which made worry wash over the members of the D.A.. We didn’t think anyone had ratted us out - Granger’s spelled parchment made sure of that - but we couldn’t think of why Umbridge would randomly do such a thing.

Even still, we continued to meet at least once a week. Luckily for me, every meeting fell during a Slytherin practice. It was probably because I was the odd one out, the house that didn’t need to be considered during scheduling. Potter had taught us a variety of defensive spells and charms, and with revision, the members were catching on quickly.

Ginny was still excited for the eventual Patronus meeting, whenever it would fall. We left the latest meeting together, walking briskly down the halls as to not get caught by Mrs. Norris. Or worse, Umbridge.

I waved her a quiet goodbye as she bounded up the staircase towards the Gryffindor dormitories. With a quick, passing glance, I saw that I had five minutes to slip behind the Slytherin door before curfew was instated. I picked up my pace, nearly running down the corridor as I made my way towards the dungeons. The meeting had to have gone longer than usual, I usually was back at the common room before the team returned.

Umbridge had been particularly nasty with detentions recently. In the Great Hall, I had seen her give one to a Ravenclaw third-year who simply stood up while Umbridge was passing by. She must’ve taken it as a form of aggression, as the girl got a week’s worth of detention before she could even blink.

“You alright?”

My head snapped up as I entered the Slytherin common room. Malfoy was sitting on the armrest of one of the couches, still dressed in his quidditch robes. He must’ve not showered yet, even though practice had been done for nearly thirty minutes. His eyes glanced to the grandfather clock, and I’m sure he noticed that I walked in right at curfew. Observant little bastard.

Swallowing, I nodded as I turned to shut the door quietly behind me. “Yeah, just lost track of time in the library.”

The lie came so easily that I physically winced, my nose scrunching up in the disgust I had towards myself. I had been so adamant about Malfoy coming clean with me about the events following the quidditch match, and I couldn’t even tell him where I had been.

“Well, did you get any work done on the Transfiguration essay?” he asked innocently, pushing himself off the armrest. I took a deep breath before I turned around, plastering a temporary smile on my face. Truthfully, I had completely forgotten that I promised him we could work on it together. We were supposed to meet right after practice ended, in the common room so we wouldn’t have to worry about curfew.

“Oh, no. Haven’t even thought about it,” I forced out a chuckle, but Malfoy only met it with a genuine one.

“Lemme go shower, I haven’t yet since I was waiting for you,” he said as he walked towards me. Malfoy pressed an easy kiss to my forehead, his hand cupping my cheek to hold my head in place. Unknowingly, his words were like needles in my heart. He had stayed behind, waiting in the common room while I was off casting spells in a secret group. One that, if Umbridge ever found out I was a member of, was grounds for a definite expulsion.

“Okay,” I said quietly, my eyes closing at the contact. Unconsciously, I leaned into his kiss, craving his presence. “Have fun.” The words left my lips before I could even think about them, and I’m sure Malfoy was just as confused when he pulled away.

With an arched eyebrow, he stared down at me. “Whatever you say,” Malfoy let out a small laugh at my amusement, planting another kiss on the top of my head before he disappeared down the boy’s wing.

I watched him leave, the guilt beginning to overwhelm me. Deciding to push it under the rug for just tonight, I pulled a chair out from under the circular table. A couple other fifth-years were chatting by the windows, the occasional fish or merman swimming by. A group of first-years were playing a game of wizard’s chess by the fire, their young laughs echoing throughout the common room as they learned the rules of the game.

By the time Malfoy returned from his shower, I hadn’t gotten much, if any, work done. My textbooks and parchment were spread around the table, though they were just a mess of words and empty paper to me. I couldn’t focus, couldn’t turn my attention away from the secret that was eating away at my insides.

“Hi,” Malfoy greeted as his hand ran along my shoulders as he passed behind me. He came to sit in the chair adjacent to mine, our knees knocking together as he got comfortable. A soft sweater adorned his torso, gray sweatpants hanging on his hips. Especially after Umbridge’s stupid prefect attire rule, he tended to opt for cozy clothing in the evenings.

We were sitting close, our upper arms brushing against each other with every movement. Honestly, I only wanted to be with him in this moment, to ignore any reminders of academics. So I leaned into him, my cheek resting against his shoulder as I closed my eyes. Malfoy hummed happily beside me, clearly not catching onto my desire as he began to flip through his Transfiguration textbook.

Hoping I could derail his train of thought, I readjusted my position so I could wrap both my arms around his. Giving it a tight squeeze, I turned my face so I could nuzzle in further to the material of his sweater. With Malfoy funds came high-quality clothing, and I swear, I could fall asleep to only this feeling.

“What are you doing?” Malfoy chuckled under his breath, his attention still much too attracted by the text outlining the chapter on the Vanishing Spell. His finger ran vertically down the page, searching for whatever specific line he needed. I watched it trail over the blocks of text, finally coming to stop near the bottom.

“Nothin’,” I murmured, though I clenched his arm tighter. Malfoy’s shoulders shook with mirth, finally turning his head to look down at me. Things had been so good between us since his stay in the hospital wing. I think he was starting to believe that I only wanted him, that any insecurities he had regarding the Weasleys could be washed away.

I felt Malfoy’s mouth pressed against the top of my head, pressing an assault of kisses into my hair in quick succession. Squirming away at the feeling, I only pressed my face further into his bicep. Which was getting rather firm, might I add, with the increasing intensity of quidditch practices.

“C’mon, stop screwin’ off. We need to get this done by tom-” Malfoy was cut off by the common room door suddenly swinging open. I immediately peeled away from his side, and we both turned around in our chairs. And the one person, the one color I never wanted to see in the common room after that god-forsaken prefect meeting was standing right in the doorway.

“Oh!” Umbridge’s gaze landed on Malfoy and I. “Draco, dear. Just who I was looking for. Can you gather the boys from their dormitories for me, please? Everyone should be here, it being after curfew and all,” she sent Malfoy one of her sugar-sweet smiles. The door swung shut behind her, swiftly catching her in the ass for a fleeting moment. I snickered as she jumped away, turning on her heel to ensure it hadn’t been a wandering hand. 

Begrudgingly, Malfoy stood and disappeared down the boy’s wing once more. I could hear him start to pound on the dormitory doors, yelling at the boys inside. Umbridge’s gaze swept the common room, finally landing on mine.

“Miss Wilkinson,” her voice was cold and emotionless, her eyes narrowing as she stared at me.   
“I suppose that since you’re here as well, could you - oh!” Umbridge interrupted herself, noticing the two fifth-years by the windows.

“Miss Bulstrode!” Umbridge called the girl’s name as she strode past me, acting like I hadn’t been sitting there at all. I didn’t mind though, I wouldn’t have gotten up even if she put her wand to my throat. “Would you be a dear and go gather the girls? I have a rather important announcement, if you could hurry along…”

The group of first-years by the fireplace had abandoned their game, all of them kneeling on the couch as they leaned against the back cushions and watched Umbridge. She sneered at me as she passed, her nose high in the air as she returned to her position by the door. With her back still to me, I flipped her off quickly, earning myself a rush of giggles from the first-years.

Malfoy returned to the table five minutes later. A few other boys had beat him out of the dormitories, and a crowd was beginning to form in the common room. Millicent had drug Katie and Pansy out of our room, the two coming to stand alongside me and Malfoy. Jack and Blaise joined a few moments later, Jack rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands as he complained about being woken up from a nap.

It took another five minutes, but eventually, the entire Slytherin house was gathered in the common room. I didn’t think it would be another prefect swap, so I hadn’t a clue what Umbridge had up her sleeve now.

“So nice to see all your smiling faces!” Umbridge exclaimed, her pudgy hands wrapping around the bottom hem of her blazer and pulling it taut. She was met with a mumble of greetings, none coherent enough to fully understand. However, she ignored it, her gaze sweeping through the students once more.

“I’m sure you’re all aware of the events after the quidditch match,” she started, her eyes avoiding Malfoy. He scoffed from beside me, crossing his arms over his chest. I wasn’t sure where she was going with this, and it made me nervous.

“Those Gryffindors are all wrongdoers,” she shook her head ferociously. “Especially those on the quidditch team.” I rolled my eyes when I realized she was pinning Potter and the twins to the wall. Malfoy shifted beside me, a few other Slytherins turning to him at the reference to the fight.

“So, I’d like to instate a new group, one that has the authority to ensure Hogwarts’ safety. Similar to prefects, if you will,” Umbridge continued, and I felt a scowl forming on my lips. More Slytherins with power, that’s all we needed.

“I have chosen a handful of names, those of you picked will have the same duties as a prefect. I will be sending your daily assignments in the morning post, so make sure your owls are fed and at the ready, understood?” A few students nodded hesitantly, since we didn’t know who her chosen few were. 

With a quick flick of her wrist, Umbridge released the bottom of a parchment scroll. We watched as it unraveled, coming to an end by her waist. Through the dim light of the common room, I could make out a scribble of ink. “If these students can join me here, I have pins for designation.”

Malfoy stiffened beside me at her request. We both knew he would be the first called, there was no doubt about it. 

“Draco Malfoy!” she started off, her shrill voice echoing through the room. I groaned at his name, my shoulders slumping as he slipped past me. His hand skimmed around my waist, dropping off much too soon when he took a few steps towards her. Malfoy came to stop by her side, his hands clasped together behind his back.

“Jack Simmons, Millicent Bulstrode, Adrian Pucey, Blaise Zabini…”

I yawned dramatically, my eyes never leaving Umbridge. Her attention was focused on the list of names on the parchment, her eyes trailing downwards as she continued. It became clear that she was only choosing students fifth-year and above.

“...Katie Jones, Pansy Parkinson, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle…”

The line of students around her had wrapped into a second row, simply because the available space prevented the increasing number of members. I was left standing alone, my friends all huddled around her. She was doing this on purpose, she had to be.

Knowing my name wouldn’t be picked, I yanked a chair out from under the table, collapsing into it moments later. Umbridge worked her way through the years, and within five minutes, she had come to stop. Nearly every upper-year was behind her, but her hands still clasped the roll of parchment. 

“Olive Wilkinson.”

I had been tracing over a notch in the table when she called my name. My head shot up the moment she spoke it, my eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. Umbridge hated me, and I hated her. It was very apparent, everyone knew it. The scar in my left hand was enough to prove it.

“Perhaps a second chance will serve you well? To reclaim your dignity, possibly ensure the Sorting Hat hadn’t made a mistake?” she pressed, the parchment slowly lowering. I had been the last name on her list, which either meant she hadn’t thought about adding me until the last minute, or it was planned all along. I assumed it was the latter.

Her tiny, insolent comment on my house placement flared the anger up inside me. To avoid giving Malfoy a heart attack, I swallowed it down. I was already lying to him about the D.A., I didn’t need him to worry about another quarrel with Umbridge too.

Before I answered her, my gaze shifted to Malfoy. He was standing diagonally behind her, his facial expressions out of her line of sight. He gave me a warning look, silently telling me not to retort her insults with a sharp response.

My fingertip lazily traced over the notch as I stared at her, my eyes slightly narrowing. I heard Blaise clear his throat, preparing himself to say something, but Katie elbowed him before he had the chance.

I could practically feel the hole burning through my forehead from Malfoy’s stare as I stood. Umbridge had gathered the parchment back up, holding it limply in front of her waist as she watched me cross the common room. Silently, I wedged myself between Jack and Malfoy, the two opening a spot once I approached.

Ten minutes later, I had a shiny pin on the collar of my robes.

\---

It was two weeks after the formation of the Inquisitorial Squad, as it was later named. I didn’t take it seriously in the slightest, Malfoy and Jack following suit. Pansy tended to abuse her newfound power, handing out detentions left and right. Since we were under Umbridge’s squad, any student was redirected to her for punishment.

Blaise and Katie took more of a liking to the other perks of the position, like the hot chocolate and tea served in Umbridge’s office before classes started.

It had been a normal potions period, though Snape had been eyeing our table more so than usual. His gaze seemed to only dart between Malfoy, Jack, and I.

“Peppermint, not mint, you absolute nimwit. God, are you sure you’re not the one born in a bin?” Jack scoffed to Goyle, snatching the jar of mint leaves from him. Snape had us brewing the Invigoration Draught, one that took nearly three hours to brew in our pewter cauldrons. Malfoy’s father, like always, had bought him the very best over the summer, which shortened our time to two hours.

Before he left, I shot Jack a look, clearly annoyed with his reference to Ron. I don’t think he truly meant it, Goyle had just pissed him off with grabbing the wrong ingredient. After he muttered a quiet apology, Jack turned on his heel to scurry away to the supply closet. I snickered as Goyle pulled a sarcastic face once Jack had left. The two were hopeless at times, never working together very well. Malfoy and I, on the other hand, were seamless. Currently, he was stirring the potion every fifteen seconds, following the instructions while I chopped up the Alihotsy leaves.

Sliding my finger along the knife, I sprinkled the leaves into the cauldron. Malfoy hummed under his breath, eyeing my finger to make sure I didn’t slice my skin open. When I didn’t, he returned to the stirring and I searched the table for the flask of honeywater.

Out of sheer curiosity, I brought the open top to my nose. We hadn’t used this particular ingredient in a potion thus far, and the name was just too compelling to not give it a sniff. It smelled wonderful, the sweet scent of honey wafting out of the flask. I raised it to Malfoy’s face without a second thought, and he trusted me enough to inhale deeply.

“Smells good,” he commented, causing me to chuckle. I pressed the flask into his outstretched hand knowing he would pour the perfect amount. For some reason, I tended to pour too much or too little, but Malfoy was flawless every time.

Jack returned to the table a few moments later, him and Goyle resuming their potion with the occasional quarrel. Within twenty minutes, Malfoy and I’s potion was simmering happily, the warm golden orange color quite vibrant. At Malfoy’s raised hand, Snape passed by our table.

“Very good, you two,” he noted, peering over the lip of Malfoy’s cauldron. “See me after class.”

Snape left without another word, and Malfoy and I looked at each other.

“‘Very good,’ then ‘see me after class?’” Malfoy repeated Snape’s odd request, a look of bewilderment on his face. I giggled at the contradiction, causing a quick smile to wash over Malfoy’s face.

We made small talk for the rest of class, Jack and Goyle jumping in every so often. Once I cleaned the cauldron, I stood beside my stool. Malfoy was wiping the table, getting every last fiber of the billywig stings.

The other students filtered through the door, excited to be done with the last class of the day. It was Friday, and there was a quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tomorrow. With Potter and the twins’ suspension, it was supposed to be Ginny’s first game. I’d heard that Ron had been improving as well, given the sudden burst of confidence that resulted from the Slytherin match.

Goyle left with Crabbe, leaving Malfoy, Jack, and I standing around the table. Once he realized we were the only students in the room, Snape briskly walked over.

“I’m sure you three are aware that a certain dark wizard is at rise, again?” he asked slowly, one eyebrow raised. Jack rolled his eyes, but nodded anyways. The three of us stared back at Snape, waiting for him to continue. It was a rather stupid question, if I say so myself.

“And I’m certain you three notice the particular lack of defensive teaching Professor Umbridge obtains?”

Once more, the three of us nodded silently. A flicker of amusement flashed over Snape’s face, but it was gone in an instant. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jack’s fingers wrap around the edge of the table. Malfoy grasped the strap of his schoolbag tighter, and I found myself straightening my spine as we waited for whatever Snape had to say.

“I’ve taken it upon myself to teach you Defense Against the Dark Arts personally. With the rise of the Dar-” Snape coughed, which raised my eyebrow in suspicion. “You-Know-Who, young witches and wizards are astoundingly underprepared. Dolores has done nothing to further your education.” 

“With all due respect, sir, why us?” Jack piped up from across the table. His question echoed my thoughts. For the life of me, I couldn’t tell why Snape was teaching us Dark Arts, and only us. 

“I am the only other person in this castle that is aware of your,” Snape paused as he thought. “Situations, shall we say.” He had to have known about Jack’s Dark Mark, and his trip-up about You-Know-Who earlier made me question if he had one of his own. If he did, I’d never seen it given his usual cloaking attire.

Snape’s response was simple, and I don’t think Jack dared to press for any more information. “We will meet in this classroom, under the ruse of a detention, understood? To make it believable, the ‘detentions’ will alternate between Simmons and Wilkinson,” Snape’s gaze shot to me, then to Jack , and then back to Malfoy. I frowned at the additional jab he made, though I suppose it was more believable than prince Malfoy himself receiving a detention. Especially from Snape.

“Yes, Professor,” I said, and Malfoy parroted me a second later. Jack’s fingers drummed along the table, almost like he was considering Snape’s proposal. I, however, thought it went without saying that we agree to anything Snape says, him being our Head of House and all. Snape stared at Jack for his approval.

“Understood,” Jack finally acknowledged.

How I was going to juggle three groups, and two secret ones at that, I didn’t know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk why but i started thinking about diary of a wimpy kid when i was writing this and then i was like yeah why not throw in that umbridge has hot chocolate in her office like in the wimpy kid movie lolol
> 
> also! I’ve got three more weeks in this semester including finals, so i’m super super busy with wrapping up projects, studying for finals, i even have to do a stupid podcast for one of my classes, so i’m thinking my update schedule will probably get a little flimsy until winter break (which is Dec 18 for me lol). 
> 
> but! once this semester is all over, then I have all the time to write lolol also i’m planning on an uber cute christmas chap so keep an eye out for that :)


	57. chapter fifty-four

Balancing Dumbledore’s Army and schoolwork hadn’t been unbearable. I was maintaining my grades, as well as attending each and every D.A. meeting. The addition of Umbridge’s Inquisitorial Squad meant nothing, and Snape hadn’t arranged any meetings yet. So, things proceeded as they had been. 

The pin found a new home in my nightstand, and I had somehow trained Athena to refuse any mail that had a pink tinge to it. I still peered over Malfoy’s shoulder in the morning, though, eyeing the tasks from the she-devil herself.

“Five o’clock patrol of northern-most hallways.”

“Oversee Ravenclaw quidditch practice, take note of unfair preparation.”

“Report to Professor Umbridge once finished.”

Each and every one was incredibly and utterly pointless. Malfoy half-assed his tasks, only completing the quidditch-related ones so he could spy on the other teams’ plays. After watching Gryffindor’s practice a couple times, he was confident Slytherin would win the next match. With Potter and the twins suspended, Johnson had filled their spots with brand-new recruits and the team’s fluidity was back at square one. 

Malfoy sent Klaus nightly with his report, often forging the completion of his other duties. It’s not like Umbridge would take him off the squad anyways.

Jack didn’t pay much attention to his position either. Similar to Katie and Blaise, he was only motivated by the morning tea and hot chocolate in Umbridge’s office. He sometimes snuck me one in Charms, placing it down on my desk with a smile as he passed. I had caught him giving detention to a couple third-year Slytherins, but only after the boys drug a Ravenclaw first-year into the bathroom for a swirlie.

We were nearing the end of October. Hogwarts was constantly wrapped in a frigid chill, the skies alternating dramatically between clear blue and stormy grey. Given Umbridge’s new schedules, the group rarely got time to eat together, study in the library, or even simply relax in the common room. On the weekends, Umbridge increased the number of duties, which meant nearly the entire Slytherin house was running around at all times of the day.

She made exceptions for Malfoy, of course. He often lied about not feeling well, or being too busy with assignments piling up on him. So, I could usually find him lounging on one of the leather couches in the common room, or in our spot in the back corner of the library. His abuse of power was slowly turning against Umbridge. I didn’t mind.

Umbridge either hadn’t noticed my lack of enthusiasm for the squad, or she was biting her tongue for whatever reason. She continued to sneer at me in Dark Arts, though I had grown a thick-enough skin that her glares bounced right off. Her method of teaching, or lack thereof, stayed the same: silently read a chapter from the textbook, and a possible lecture at the end. The fifth-years were nearly halfway through the text already, I had no idea what she had planned for when we inevitably finished before the end of the school year. Probably re-read it again.

Dumbledore’s Army had found somewhat of a steady schedule. With the newfound presence of the Inquisitorial Squad, Potter had split us into three groups, each meeting on a different day of the week. It was supposed to lessen the chance of getting caught, to have less members roaming the halls before or after meetings. He somehow snuck around to each one, managing to hide away in the shadows of the hallways when a pin-clad Slytherin passed.

Potter had kept me with the twins and Ginny, probably having taken note that I was the most comfortable with them. Unfortunately, Zacharias was also in our group, but he tended to keep to the other Hufflepuffs. His sharp remarks had lessened, but he still kept an eye on me during meetings. I threw him an angry glare whenever I could.

Potter and I never mentioned our parents, but we both knew how the other was feeling. Even though we had lost ours at different ages, it was still a major trauma. My heart hurt for him, he never got to grow up with his. Small head nods of acknowledgement were exchanged sometimes, but that was the extent of our communication about it.

“We’ll be working on your Patronus’ today, alright?” Potter addressed the group. It was a Wednesday evening, a few hours after the last class of the day. Malfoy was supposed to be on a hallway patrol currently, and then Slytherin’s quidditch practice was scheduled for six-thirty. Sinistra had assigned a project on Jupiter’s moons, and hinted to us that they would have the highest visibility tonight. With an excuse slip in hand (not that we really needed it with him), Malfoy and I were planning to use the telescopes after his practice.

Ginny squealed in excitement beside me, Potter sending her a brief smile. She had been looking forward to this for ages, it was all she talked about. We had to be extra careful with talking across houses outside the Room of Requirement, so I only really conversed with the Weasleys during D.A. meetings.

Granger and Ron had been placed in a different group. She had been exceptionally wary of me since the formation of Umrbidge’s squad, and I was certain she thought I was double-stepping in the two groups. I suppose I technically was, but the D.A. was my only priority. I couldn’t even find time to think about Snape’s proposal.

“Now, it’s a rather, er, hard charm, okay?” Potter’s eyes swept the members, and he was met with a few nods. I was standing between Ginny and Fred, George on the other side of his brother. “Some of you probably won’t get it today, but that’s alright. We’ll keep trying until you do.”

I raised an eyebrow at Potter’s sudden change in demeanor. Usually, in meetings, he was incredibly enthusiastic and helpful, jumping around from pair to pair to assist in any way he could. This particular charm would be the first truly difficult one, one that would differentiate me from the typical fifth-year. Any year, really. I had overheard that the Patronus charm was reserved for the Dark Arts seventh-year curriculum, but I doubted Umbridge was teaching it to the twins and their peers.

The only person I knew who could conjure one was Potter himself. Jack had talked about it, but he never told me what his was, so I doubted he could produce one. I wouldn’t be surprised if I couldn’t.

“It’s used against Dementors, I’ve used it myself a few times,” Potter admitted humbly, and Ginny only rolled her eyes from beside me at his meekness. I snickered, watching as she practically melted into a puddle when he looked over. She was head over heels for the boy, but he was much too busy following Chang like a lost puppy.

“To properly cast it, you need to think of the happiest memory you can. It has to be powerful, so don’t think of a hundred percent on an exam, or any rubbish like that,” Potter further explained. A few giggles swept around the room, a smirk crossing his face as he paced back and forth. “You need true happiness. Think of a time with friends, or family.”

Potter’s eyes met mine when he muttered the last word, though I think he did so accidentally. Immediately, he turned on his heel, talking to the other half of the group. “Allow it to fill you up, and then try the incantation.”

Fred, who clearly hadn’t given a memory much thought, instantaneously tried the charm the moment Potter stopped talking. A white wisp came from the tip of his wand, but it fizzled out within a second. His shoulders shook with George’s, the two clearly finding the failed attempt hilarious. 

Ginny closed her eyes beside me, focusing on a memory before inhaling a deep breath.

“Expecto Patronum!” she yelled, but her wand gave the same reaction as Fred’s. I saw her shoulders slump, and she shot me a disappointed frown.

“It’s alright, Ginny,” I reassured her. My fingers had been anxiously tightening and untightening around my wand, nervous for my first attempt.

“Was thinking about a dessert I had in London, prob’ly wasn’t the best memory,” she admitted, and I chuckled. Ginny tried again, but I was busy looking around the room. Fred and George had ended up shooting small flames of fire towards one another, the two hopping around so their trousers wouldn’t get singed.

Longbottom and a Gryffindor girl I didn’t know were standing together in the corner, the charm coming so quietly out of his mouth I couldn’t hear it. Similar to Fred, a wisp of smoke emitted from the tip of his wand. It was much too weak to morph into a full-bodied one.

“Remember! Your patronus can only protect you for as long as you stay focused,” Potter reminded the group as he walked around, his wand in his right hand as his eyes swept various attempts. “So, the longer you focus, the stronger it’ll be.”

Ginny’s incantations were faint in my head, my mind much too busy on something else. Potter had only said it needed to be the happiest and strongest memory we could muster. He didn’t say how recent. My mind kept drifting to memories I had with Malfoy. The quiet nights we shared in the common room, the dancing in the greenhouse. When we nearly skipped down Diagon Alley last summer after the dinner at his house, ducking into the shadows to steal chaste kisses from one another. Our first kiss, even.

I had happy memories of Jack and Katie, of course. The long, delirious studies in the library, Jack’s contests at dinner. Getting ready for quidditch matches with Katie, the two of us singing loudly while Pansy braided our hair.

And then there were the memories I had with family, like Potter had mentioned. Going into London as a small child with my parents, my father hoisting me on his shoulders as I gleefully peered into each shop window. I always did grip his hair too tight. Accidentally, of course. My mother teaching me how to apply makeup for the first time, letting me smear her favorite red lipstick basically everywhere but my lips. Visiting zoos and aquariums, celebrating birthdays and holidays.

Watching in awe as Aunt Beth spelled the dishes to clean themselves when she visited, unknowingly exposing me to the world of magic. When she gave me gifts from her travels, a smile spreading over my face as I ran up the stairs to add it to my collection.

“Expecto Patronum!” Ginny yelled again, breaking me from my thoughts. A figure of a horse erupted from the tip of her wand, Ginny squealing in glee as she watched it.

“Brilliant, Ginny!” Potter shouted from the other side of the room, a large smile on his face as his gaze followed it. The horse galloped through the air, its mane shaking in the wind as it whinnied. Ginny’s excitement got to be too much, her focus eventually cracking and the patronus dissipating a second later. 

“That was wicked!” my mouth gaped in awe, Ginny and I staring at each other. Fred and George came over to congratulate their sister, Fred slapping her on the shoulder rather forcefully. She was sure to feed him his own medicine back, though, waiting until he turned away. I chuckled as she practically jumped onto his back, grabbing the collar of his sweater and pulling it up and over the back of his head in a swift motion.

“You give it a shot, Olive,” Ginny urged me on once she returned, looking rather proud of herself. Fred was fixing his sweater, muttering under his breath as he readjusted his Gryffindor tie. I swallowed thickly, nodding as I readied my wand. 

I didn’t know how I would feel if a memory I held with Malfoy wasn’t strong enough. To protect myself from the uncertainty, I focused upon one with my parents. I closed my eyes, picturing the evening before they died. The three of us had shared a take-out pizza and watched comedy movies late into the night. A gentle summer breeze wafted through the open patio door, our owls hooting drowsily in the back garden. The smell of my father’s cologne, my mother’s perfume. 

My eyes screwed shut, trying to ignore the fact that the VHS had stayed in the player for weeks to follow. I simply couldn’t bring myself to remove it, it was like removing the last shared memory we had.

I hadn’t known then, that it would be my last time hearing my father’s laugh at a cringy movie line, my mother’s scolds when he dripped marinara sauce on the couch. With a deep breath, I rid my mind of all the bad memories that followed that evening, only focusing on the moment in the living room.

“Expecto Patronum!” I called with a twist of my wrist, only opening my eyes after I yelled the incantation. The twins and Ginny watched intently, the wisp of white smoke slowly morphing into an animal. 

It was like time slowed as my patronus developed. My grip on my wand never faltered, my knuckles going white with how tightly I was holding it. A long tail appeared first, and part of me felt disappointed that it was a reptile. I wanted it to be something cool, something powerful. The body followed, four legs sprouting out from the belly. I swear, if it was an iguana or something...

“Atta girl, Miss Olive! Keep holding on, you’ve got it!” I heard Fred encourage, his lips parted as he watched my patronus. He and George had halted their small games, standing side-by-side as their necks craned upwards.

The head was the last to emerge, or so I thought. Two wings popped from the back of my patronus’ abdomen, stretching out wide as they began to flap. It was a dragon, and a rather large one at that.

“” “There’s a constellation named Draco,” Malfoy responded, and I was certain his eyes were tracing over it.””

The day after Malfoy and I redid our Herbology assignment, I had snuck into the library when no one was looking. He had merely pointed out the bunch of stars that made his constellation, never once telling me what they formed. It took a few books, but I eventually learned that it was a dragon.

My patronus soared high towards the ceiling, the large wings thrashing through the air so powerfully I swore I could feel it. Keeping a steady hold on my wand, I twirled as it circled me. The dragon banked, its wings outstretched as the tips directed the angle.

It was like my body flooded with warmth as the dragon glided around the room. I felt secure, protected even. I felt like I had with my parents, overwhelmingly happy and content. And it was all because of me. I had given myself that feeling for the first time in over two years. 

Ginny’s eyes were wide as she followed my patronus. It even caught Potter’s attention, his instructions for a pair of Hufflepuffs drifting off mid-sentence as he stared. The flurry of incantations faded away, most members ignoring their attempts to watch the dragon.

“Norwegian Ridgeback, ya reckon?” I overheard George ask Fred, and the sudden shift in focus caused my patronus to dissipate. Just like it had come, it was gone.

“Eh, looked more like a Romanian Longhorn to me. S’pose we could always ask Charlie,” Fred disagreed, his head shaking as his eyebrows flicked upwards at me. The discussion was promptly abandoned as the two approached. “That was bloody awesome, Miss Olive!”

I flushed at the compliment, shying away as I turned back to Ginny. “You go again,” I suggested, anything to take the attention off me. I hadn’t been the only member to produce one on their first attempt, but the dragon was definitely one of the largest we had seen this evening.

But what struck me harder was that I had the ability to produce a corporeal patronus, just like Potter himself. And I had never thought I was strong enough to.

Fred and George came to flank either side of me as we watched Ginny produce her horse once more. “Did ya see? George and I have the same one, what kinda twin rubbish is that?” Fred scoffed, his arms crossing over his chest as his gaze followed his sister. I chuckled, finding their situation rather amusing.

“I’m the older twin anyways, that’s gotta count for somethin’,” Fred continued his rant, shaking his head as he frowned. The two began to bicker, and I swiftly ducked out of their conversation to join Ginny. 

George’s rebuttal rang through the air as I came to a stop by Ginny’s side. She was still attempting to cast her horse, trying to hold it for longer than the last. “Oh, that’s a load! If your patronus was an owl, it’d be about as coordinated as Errol!”

The rest of the meeting went quickly, Potter having those of us who had successfully produced a patronus leave early. He was still wary of Umbridge, and he didn’t want any of us to get into trouble. It was supposed to be less attention-grabbing if we left meetings in small pairs or triplets. I shouldn’t run into Malfoy, he was supposed to be at quidditch practice.

Like usual, Ginny and I walked down the staircase together. She left for the Gryffindor dormitories with a wave, and I continued on my way to the Great Hall. With a quick glance at a clock in a passing classroom, I saw that Slytherin’s practice had twenty minutes left. Just enough to snag dinner before meeting Malfoy in the astronomy tower.

My nerves still felt alight. Every cell in my body had started tingling when my patronus appeared, and they hadn’t ceased since. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why the animal of Malfoy’s constellation was my patronus. And I couldn’t even bring it up to him because I was keeping my involvement in the D.A. a secret.

I nearly skipped through the entrance to the Great Hall, the smile growing on my face as I realized Katie and Pansy were already sitting. Umbridge had assigned them the morning patrol today, which meant they had the afternoon and evening off. Katie tended to complain about having to wake up early for it, but Pansy didn’t seem to mind.

I hadn’t realized, but I had come to a stop just inside the doorway. My heart was still pounding so loud from the excitement of successfully producing a patronus that I didn’t hear Malfoy and the rest of the team come up behind me.

“Food’s on the table, you know that right?” he teased from my left, his arm snaking around my shoulders. His hair was wet, probably from a quick shower in the locker rooms. Jack laughed as he skirted around the two of us, much too hungry to hang back and chat. Blaise trailed behind him, pressing a greeting kiss on Katie’s forehead before he sat.

“I know,” I playfully scowled at Malfoy, socking him gently in the side. Part of me was expecting him to wince dramatically like he always did, but instead he pecked me quickly on my temple. His hand squeezed my shoulder tight before sliding across my back and down to grab my left hand. I let him tug me towards the Slytherin table, and we had heaping plates in front of us five minutes later. It was the first time all week that the group had dinner together.

“You should’ve seen Blaise in practice tonight, Katie,” Jack complimented his friend, his eyes wide as he grasped a turkey leg in his hand. He wiped his mouth with a napkin before he continued. “He’s a mad man when we get him the quaffle, let me tell you.”

Katie smiled proudly at Blaise, leaning over to rest her head in the crook between his neck and shoulder. “Sounds like my guy.” Blaise chuckled at her swooning, resting his head against hers for a moment before he reached for the bowl of green beans.

“Now, we just need Malfoy to catch the snitch,” Jack teased, and my heart skipped a beat in fear Malfoy would retaliate. He straightened his spine beside me, his fork freezing in mid-air as he looked over at Jack. I didn’t think twice before skimming my hand over the bench between us and grabbed ahold of his wrist. The gesture was hidden from the others, since Malfoy had placed his non-dominant hand in his lap while he ate.

I don’t think Malfoy was ever as vulnerable with the team as he could be with me. There had been a couple times where we were speaking privately, and Malfoy had felt comfortable enough to admit his failure as a Seeker. Back with Chang a couple years ago, or blaming Potter whenever he could. He was trying, and I could only imagine having Jack-the-all-star-quidditch-player swoop in the year after you make the team.

Instantaneously, Malfoy’s shoulders relaxed, and I could see a forced grin sneak onto his lips. I wasn’t sure if Jack could tell it was fake, but I could. “You’re funny, Simmons.”

As he talked, I felt Malfoy wrangle his wrist from my grip, though he immediately caught my open hand and intertwined our fingers. With a squeeze, he returned to his dinner, and Jack struck up a conversation with Crabbe. The talk of quidditch was swiftly abandoned.

More small talk filled the rest of dinner. Every once in a while, Malfoy’s hand would find its place on my thigh, and then take my hand back into his. Eating with my left hand was rather annoying, but I made it work so I could continue holding hands with him.

“Wilkinson and I are going to the astronomy tower. That project Sinistra assigned, y’know?” Malfoy announced nearly twenty minutes later. While he spoke, he took my empty plate from in front of me and stacked it on top of his. They were shoved to the middle of the table as he stood. The others simply nodded, and a murmur of acknowledgement brushed up and down the table.

I stood with Malfoy, shrugging my robes back over my shoulders. He grabbed my bag for me, and the two of us left the Great Hall. Never once did he allow me to carry my own schoolbag.

“You alright?” I asked quietly. We were walking down a dark corridor, the only sounds coming from our shoes slapping the stone. Given the earlier sunsets, it had been dark for almost an hour. Umbridge kept Filch from lighting the hallway torches and chandeliers, claiming that it would keep students in their common rooms by curfew.

“Hm?” Malfoy played dumb, his gaze staring straight ahead. The strap of my schoolbag was clenched in his hand, though he had wrapped it up tight enough so it wouldn’t drag on the ground.

“Jack,” I sighed, knowing better than to go into full detail. If I hadn’t been there, I don’t know how short Malfoy’s fuse would’ve been. Even though Jack had been joking, we didn’t need another repeat of the spring break fight.

“Oh,” Malfoy said simply, and I could practically hear his swallow. “Yeah.”

I didn’t totally buy it, but I nodded anyways. “I dunno, I like dating the absolutely brilliant Seeker of the Slytherin quidditch team.”

The compliment went over as well as I had expected it to, a smirk crossing Malfoy’s face seconds later. “Is that so?” he responded smugly, looking at me through the corner of his eye. I let my hand bury between his side and his arm, wrapping around tightly. His hand was busy holding my bag, so I let mine come to a rest on his inner forearm.

“Sure is,” I smirked back, resting my cheek against his shoulder. Since we were still walking, my head bobbed in time with his strides. No matter how down Malfoy was feeling, he would always perk up at praise.

“You better piggy swear it,” he said, extremely confident in his words. I nearly choked on my own saliva, his mix-up of the phrase too funny. Calming myself, I responded through a sly smile.

“I better what?”

“Piggy swear it,” he said slowly, his pace bringing us to a stop. Malfoy looked down at me, one eyebrow arched in suspicion. “Y’know, what you said a few weeks back.”

The smile on my face grew against my wishes, and Malfoy immediately knew something was on my mind. His pure innocence in that moment was adorable. He had referred to the Muggle tradition so confidently, his voice never once wavering.

When I didn’t do anything but stare at him with a goofy smile, Malfoy’s eyes narrowed as he let go of his schoolbag strap. His pinky finger was soon held between us, and a giggle slipped between my lips.

“Of course I will,” I laughed, wrapping my pinky finger around his tightly. I didn’t have the heart to tell him he meant to say something different, it warmed my insides knowing he was trying to relate to my Muggle upbringing.

He looked proud of himself as I sealed his promise, and we soon began to continue our way towards the astronomy tower.

“You do know you have to kill me if I break it, right?” I said nonchalantly, my gaze staring straight down the hallway. Malfoy’s feet skittered to a stop, pulling me back with him. His eyes were wide, his lips slightly parted. It was fun pulling his leg, letting him think that a pinky swear meant more than a small promise.

“What?” he nearly breathed out. Malfoy’s eyes fell to our interlaced hands, and I swore I saw them tracing over our pinky fingers. I sucked my lips between my teeth to keep my grin from spreading.

“Yeah, it’s like the Muggle equivalent of something called the Unbreakable Vow?” I scrunched my nose up into my face as if I was in thought, one finger coming to scratch at my temple. “I dunno much about it, Jack had brought it up once.”

Malfoy’s eyes were almost the same size as the plates we had just eaten off of at dinner. “What did you just do, Wilkinson?” His tone was incredibly serious, and I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek.

“Oh, relax. You won’t have to do anything unless I break it,” I shrugged as if to brush the topic off my shoulders. My response did nothing to soothe Malfoy’s anxiety, and I almost started feeling bad about it. What was meant to be a funny joke was starting to spiral out of control.

“You better not,” he deadpanned, finally closing his mouth so he could swallow. “I don’t wanna kill you.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever not like dating you, don’t worry,” I reassured him, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek. His stiff composure softened, and he only rolled his eyes. 

“Better leave the Weasleys alone, then,” he muttered under his breath, so low I barely caught it. I’m not even sure he meant for me to hear it. I frowned in thought, deciding that maybe I should just keep the joke rolling. For the sake of the Weasleys.

When we reached the astronomy tower, Malfoy hurried to set up the telescope while I looked over the project assignment again. Sinistra wanted us to identify the different moons of Jupiter, and take notes of any visuals we could see. Color, twinkling strength, placement of its current orbit. A few additional questions sat at the bottom of the parchment. Astronomy was interesting and all, but I think Malfoy was far more fascinated with it.

“‘T’s ready,” he mumbled as he crossed the tower. The sun was far beyond the horizon, the sky a dark blue. Several stars littered the heavens above us, but Malfoy was able to spot Jupiter given Sinistra’s hints.

“Thank you,” I said as I stood, the astronomy textbook dangling from my hand. His hair was falling out of it’s normal gel given the long school day, so I tucked a strand behind his ear as I passed. He watched me walk towards the telescope with a smirk on his lips. Given his comment in the hospital wing, I was certain he was staring at my bum. I didn’t necessarily mind, throwing a bit more movement into my hips as I approached the stool.

Malfoy was behind me in a matter of seconds, his hand resting on my waist to steady me as I peered into the eyepiece. I held the textbook against the railing, my other hand coming to lay over Malfoy’s. He had aligned the telescope perfectly, Jupiter sitting in the direct middle of the lens.

I could just barely make out the orbiting moons, closing my left eye tighter as my right strained. “One’s directly to the right, like ninety degrees,” I described to Malfoy, and he hummed in acknowledgement. “She seriously expects us to be able to identify these?”

Malfoy chuckled as I straightened my spine, turning on the stool so I could look down at him. Given the platform, I had a few inches on him. “Lemme try.”

He and I exchanged places, his taller stature bending at a sharper angle so he could look through the eyepiece. His pale fingers held it steady, spinning the outer rim to adjust the focus. I was skimming through the textbook when he stood back up, nearly a foot taller than me now.

“I reckon it’s Io, the orbital radius is the smallest,” Malfoy said simply, and I nearly rolled my eyes. I’d tease him and call him Mr. Granger given his intelligence, but I knew that probably wouldn’t end well.

“You’re too smart for me,” I groaned, closing the textbook and shoving it into his chest. Malfoy’s hand shot up to grasp it before it fell, and I hopped up onto the stool to look for myself. Sure enough, the know-it-all was right.

“I’m smart enough for the both of us,” he teased, and I twirled around on the platform. My mouth fell open at his jab, but I couldn’t be mad at him. His eyes were twinkling with playfulness, a smile playing on his lips. 

“You’re so going to get it, Malfoy,” I threatened, launching myself off the platform. He must’ve expected my reaction, as he was already halfway across the tower by the time my feet hit the stone. My textbook was clutched tightly to his side, stealing my usual spot from me. Our laughter rang through the air as I chased him around the circumference of the tower, his much longer legs always giving him the advantage. 

Two minutes of tailing him later, I collapsed down in the dead center of the tower. My chest was heaving with much-needed breaths, and I eyed him as he retreated from behind the telescope. I was laying on my back, all four limbs sprawled out over the ground. Malfoy’s eyes held a tinge of admiration as his gaze trailed over my face.

He took the bait, laying down next to me with his legs crossed at the ankles. In a flash, I had wrestled my way on top of him, my laughs echoing between the walls once more. My textbook had skittered across the floor a few feet, shoved away by Malfoy. He and I fought in a squabble for a few moments, but he eventually let me win once I had trapped his wrists in my two hands. I was straddling his lower stomach, his back pressed flat against the ground.

“Say I’m smart,” I huffed, tightening my grip on his wrists when he began to resist. I wasn’t as strong as he was, especially after the increasing difficulty that quidditch practices had become. Couldn’t lie and say Malfoy wasn’t getting buff. The two of us thrashed about, but I never lost my spot on his stomach. Malfoy shook his head and my eyes widened in fake shock.

“Say it!” I demanded, though my words broke in a laugh. Malfoy soon started to snicker himself, the corner of his mouth tugged upwards in a smirk.

“You’re smart, Wilkinson,” he finally agreed, and I sat back happily. We stared at each other in silence for a few moments, though my heart was still pounding against my ribcage. If Malfoy listened hard enough, I’m sure he could hear it. 

When the look of his lips became too enticing, I leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on them. Malfoy’s wrists weasled their way out of my grip, one coming to hold the back of my head. I suppose I could’ve given way, but his kisses just made me too weak. He kept our lips pressed together, my hands holding my balance against his chest. If anyone were to walk in now, I don’t even know what I would do.

Malfoy broke away first, his lips holding that lazy smirk like always. My hair had fallen down to hide our faces behind a curtain. He reached up tentatively, gathering one side and pulling it over to the other. The moonlight hit the side of my face, and I watched as it cast shadows past his features.

“You are smart,” he murmured, and I knew he truly meant the words. We were no longer childishly fighting, now simply in each other’s presence. Which was my favorite place to be.

I smiled at the genuine compliment, my eyes sweeping over his eyes, down his nose, and across his lips. He must’ve noticed the path of my gaze, as he lifted his head to press another kiss to the corner of my mouth. I felt his abdominal muscles tighten beneath my hands with the movement, and my face flushed. 

“But we both know I’ll identify the rest of the moons,” Malfoy smirked as he rested his head against the stone once more. His hands came to rest on my thighs, his thumbs swiping back and forth gently. I shrugged, biting down on my bottom lip as I agreed. Less work for me.

I stood up first, offering my hand to Malfoy to help him up. He took it graciously, hauling himself onto his feet. As he returned to the telescope, I watched as his hands brushed over his bum, ridding his trousers of any dirt particles from the ground. He had a rather nice one, too.

Malfoy was right, he was able to identify the rest of Jupiter’s moons within half an hour. Once we had a rudimentary diagram drawn, the two of us called it a night. The walk back to the common room was slow and delirious, neither of us worried about being caught by Umbridge. With Malfoy at my hip, the woman had no leverage over me. 

Chaste kisses were exchanged as we walked, one of us pulling the other into the shadows for a brief moment. The walk took twice as long as normal, but I didn’t care. Any time spent with him was time well spent. Our hands swung back and forth between us, Malfoy holding both of our schoolbags on his other shoulder. 

Whenever we intertwined our fingers, Malfoy insisted on having his thumb on the outside. A few weeks ago, I had even tried to wrap mine over his, but he practically broke it in order to have his on top. It was a peculiar quirk he had, though I never could bring myself to question it. It was a protective gesture, his own little way of telling me he would always shield me from harm. No matter how large or small, imminent or remote.

Twenty minutes after we left the astronomy tower, I had given him his good-night kiss, about to walk down the girl’s wing. He stood in the common room, his lip brought between his teeth and his eyebrows furrowed like he was debating on asking something. I turned at the sound of Malfoy clearing his throat.

“Do I really have to kill you?” 

The question was so innocent and unknowing, and it took everything in me to keep my face serious. Keeping the game going couldn’t hurt anyone. So, before I answered, I spun on my heel and walked through the entrance to the girl’s dormitories. I threw my response over my shoulder.

“Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got absolutely nothing done this week lol
> 
> Also!! Just a reminder for all you lovely ao3 readers: I do cross-post on Wattpad, and I’ve seen several readers make the switch. The fic is under the same user and title over there :) Of course, I’m grateful to have you all wherever you prefer to read, but it’s always an option!
> 
> i don't really have much to say today lol, so what's your weekend plans??
> 
> happy reading!!


	58. chapter fifty-five

[tw: cutting on the inside forearm/blood (not self-harm, but I know that specific area can be sensitive for some)]

I had never considered that Snape sent owls. I’m not sure why, since practically every wizard did so, but it seemed foreign to imagine him sitting down, writing a letter, and sending it off. But, Athena proved me wrong on a rainy Monday morning.

Klaus and Ace dropped a similar envelope in front of Malfoy and Jack. The three of us looked at one another once the letters fluttered to a stop. Athena snagged a sausage off my plate once she landed, and then began preening herself. I sliced open the envelope with the tip of my wand.

“”Potions classroom, 8:00 pm.””

Snape had scheduled our first meeting. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and I’m sure the boys didn’t either. I quickly shoved the parchment into my pockets, and I watched the boys open theirs out of the corner of my eye.

“Wilkinson!” Malfoy cried out, and I looked up to see that Athena had hopped over the table to him. Klaus was pecking at one of his amphibian treats, and Malfoy held a partially-full bag in his hand. Athena recognized both him and the treats, and she was hellbent on getting one before she departed. 

I chuckled as Malfoy dug out a treat, practically throwing it in her direction. Her attention was taken off him by the food, and my fingers lazily stroked her feathers as she nibbled on it. I had been meaning to send Aunt Beth a letter, to catch her up on everything that had happened over the last few weeks. I didn’t dare write about the D.A., I had overheard Potter claiming that Umbridge was intercepting owls.

“I’m sure she says thank you, don’t you?” I cooed at Athena, my fingertip running a trail from the back of her head down between her wings. She blinked at me, a small, content shudder following my finger. Malfoy scoffed, but his eyes held a tinge of admiration as he watched me.

“Always the girls, isn’t it, Klaus?” Malfoy hummed to his own owl, causing Klaus’ head to swivel at the mention of his name. He was a rather well-trained bird, though I wasn’t sure if it was on Malfoy’s part, or his parent’s. Malfoy had said Klaus was getting old, but I doubted his father would send him off to Hogwarts with nothing but the best. Maybe Klaus had been in the family for years.

Ace had already flown away, leaving Jack clutching the letter. Jack’s eyes darted between Malfoy and I, a clear expression of confusion on his face. Athena snatched another sausage off my plate, ruffling her feathers as she ate.

“You two have gone bloody crazy,” Jack commented, an amused huff coming from his nose. Malfoy rolled his eyes, but I only laughed with Jack. I suppose we had.

Breakfast continued on, the others joining us a few minutes after the owls had departed for the owlery. In a flash, Jack and Malfoy had shoved Snape’s letters far into their schoolbags, acting as though everything was normal Monday morning.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” Malfoy muttered to me, swinging his legs over the bench. I nodded, watching him saunter down the aisle.

“I’m telling you, the Halloween feast is gonna suck this year!” Blaise retorted, shaking his head. I glanced over at him, my hand stilling from where I was cutting up a waffle. “I’ll bet you ten knuts that Umbridge cancels it. She doesn’t seem like one to have fun, anyways.”

Blaise finished his small rant with a whine, his nose scrunching up in annoyance. The Halloween feast was one of his favorites, even more than the Great Feast at the beginning of the year. Given his sweet tooth, Blaise took a strong liking to the dozens of candy-filled cauldrons that Dumbledore always littered up and down the house tables.

“Cancels what, Mr. Zabini?” I heard Umbridge’s shrill voice slice through the air from behind me. She had clearly been present to overhear the last half of Blaise’s sentence. Katie turned first, though the rest soon followed. I shoved another bite of waffle into my mouth before I looked up at her. 

“Oh, nothing,” Blaise said frantically, his head shaking back and forth. He almost forgot her name, but he tacked it on once he remembered. “Professor Umbridge”

“Very well then,” she dismissed Blaise’s comment, and lowered her gaze to meet mine. Her beady eyes swept over my face, and then down to the back of my left hand that was gripping the edge of the table. My skin was still scarred, it was like she was double-checking.

“Miss Wilkinson, do you care to explain why you haven’t been reporting?” Umbridge asked sharply, her fake smile plastered onto her face. I finished chewing the waffle, and swallowed before I answered. 

“Been preoccupied,” I shrugged, and I heard Jack sigh exasperatedly from behind me. He had practically begged me to send a false report with his on many occasions, just to stay off of Umbridge’s radar, but I had always refused. Malfoy wasn’t happy with it either, knowing that a situation like this was inevitable.

“With what? And, remember dear, address me as Professor Umbridge,” she reminded me, though it went through one ear and other the other. 

Learning the Dark Arts that you’re not teaching us. I thought about it for a brief second, though I would never bring the D.A. up. As I was coming up with a believable excuse, Umbridge spoke again as her stare fell upon my robes.

“Have you lost your pin? You do seem to take after your aunt, the forgetful thing,” she continued, and I felt my teeth grind together at the mention of Aunt Beth. “Perhaps that’s why she’s jumped from job to job? Never struck me as a particularly - oh, how should I put it - hard-working person.”

The finality her tone took on her last few words told me she didn’t have to think about a way to ‘put it.’ My blood began pulsing hard through my veins, filling every nerve with rage. Jack shuffled from behind me, his foot skimming over the stone under the table and nudging mine. The small gesture cleared my vision, and Umbridge’s face was no longer shadowed by red.

“I’m surprised she’s raising you now, to be quite frank,” Umbridge made one last final jab, and I don’t know how my teeth didn’t crack. Katie whispered my name from beside me, but it didn’t even reach my ears. I was too focused on Umbridge above me, sending her the hardest glare I could muster. She simply looked back down at me with a small smirk on her lips, her hands delicately holding her wand in front of her torso.

Right now, Umbridge had the upper hand, and she knew it.

“It fell into the Black Lake,” I responded before I could even think about the excuse. Jack groaned in defeat behind me, though it wasn’t enough to capture Umbridge’s attention. She had banned students from visiting the lake weeks ago, and I had completely forgotten. 

“At the lake, hm?” she pressed, and I mentally punched myself for giving that excuse out of all the ones I could’ve used. I felt Jack’s foot nudge mine again, a bit harder. As Umbridge’s eyes narrowed, I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep myself from saying anything else stupid.

“Well, I’m sure you’re aware that the lake is, and has been, off-limits,” Umbridge said. Her eyes fell to the absent space beside me. Malfoy wasn’t here to protect me, and she was going to take advantage of it. “That’ll be a detention with me, seven o’clock tonight.”

“I can watch over it, professor. You know, the prefect rule and all,” Jack jumped into the conversation, causing Umbridge’s gaze to shift to him. I felt a small wave of relief through my chest, realizing that with Jack’s presence, there was a chance the punishment wouldn’t be severe.

“Nonsense, dear,” Umbridge tutted, shaking her head. “Slytherin has quidditch practice, do they not?” Of course she knew Malfoy’s schedule off the top of her head. Jack was at a loss for words, though I knew he was trying to come up with another reason he should be there. He took too long, though, Umbridge sealing the conversation with one last sugar-sweet smile.

With that, she turned on her heel and continued down the aisle to the professor’s table. I glared at her back, watching as she teetered on her kitten heels the entire way. Had I been looking at him, I would’ve seen the sympathetic look Jack was giving me.

My focus was shaken by Malfoy dropping down next to me. His hand brushed my shoulder as he sat, skimming down my arm once he was settled. “Don’t tell Blaise, but I overheard some Slytherins in the bathroom saying Dumbledore arranged for another skeleton dance.”

I turned to Malfoy, painting a smile over my face. He and Jack were supposed to be in practice before the meeting with Snape, he didn’t have to know about my detention. “I won’t,” I played along with him, a genuine smile replacing my fake one as his lips curled into a grin. He tended to have that effect on me.

No more talk of my detention was made for the rest of breakfast. Blaise continued to bitch about the Halloween feast, which led the group into an animated argument about what the best holiday was. Jack was fighting for Christmas, Katie for Easter, and Blaise for Halloween.

While accusations of the better Halloween candy was being thrown back and forth across the table, I leaned into Malfoy’s side. “What’s your favorite holiday?” I murmured, resting my head on his shoulder. We had finished eating a while ago, but Charms wasn’t starting for another fifteen minutes. He had been biting his way through an apple, something to fill the void that his stomach was.

“Um,” he started, his cheek pressing into the top of my head. “I dunno.”

Shocked, I raised my head. He looked over worriedly, like he had said the wrong thing but didn’t know what. “What? You have to have a favorite holiday,” I argued, raising an eyebrow. “Mine’s Christmas.”

Malfoy sighed. “My family doesn’t really celebrate any. If we do, it’s just a dinner that the house-elves prepared,” he admitted, looking back to his apple. My eyebrow was still cocked, and I leaned onto the table to block his view from the others. I was going to corner him into telling me.

“You can still have a favorite one,” Malfoy rolled his eyes playfully at my intensity. I could see his exterior shield cracking, so I continued. “If you had to pick one to celebrate, one that sounds the most fun, which one would it be?”

“Well, I suppose we do celebrate it, now that I think about it,” he paused, his head slightly tilting in thought. “Christmas, though. I guess.”

I huffed in amusement at his eventual answer, though his comment on his family’s celebration irked me. With a quick glance over my shoulder, I saw that Jack and Blaise were at it over Christmas sweets, Katie and Pansy laughing. I figured no one was bothered enough to listen to Malfoy and I’s conversation. “What does your family do for Christmas?”

Malfoy’s spine practically stiffened the second the words came out of my mouth, and I instantaneously regretted it. I was about to frantically change the subject, but his mouth opened. “I mean, we do all the gift-giving and everything, but, I dunno -” he sighed. “It’s less exciting when my father buys me anything I want already.”

I could tell Malfoy was trying to be humble with his words, treading carefully. A sad twinge laid under his statement, yanking at my heartstrings. Malfoy got everything he wanted on a normal day, Christmas wouldn’t be any different. I doubted he ever experienced the competitive gingerbread-house making, or Christmas cookie baking, or even the board games that got pulled out when winter break got just that boring.

“Well,” I rested my head back on his shoulder. “We can celebrate Christmas before break this year, how’s that? With everyone, after mid-year exams. I’ll even get you something that you don’t want, for a change.”

“Don’t want, hm? I suppose that’ll be alright,” he agreed simply, but I could hear the smile that had grown on his face.

I had no idea what to get a boy that could have anything with a snap of his fingers.

\---

Monday’s classes were over in a breeze. Mid-term exams weren’t for another couple weeks, and professors seemed to be slowing down on content. Flitwick had even given half the class period for games, since we had been showing incredible improvement in the Color Change charm.

I exchanged a quick glance with Snape at the end of potions, the two of us nodding to each other in silent acknowledgment. Malfoy had weaseled his way out of Umbridge’s duties today, claiming that he was stressed for the Slytherin practice. We had a match against Hufflepuff this weekend, though Malfoy was feeling more than confident. Jack should’ve completed his list before lunch.

The afternoon was spent in the library, Slytherins coming and going whenever their Inquisitorial Squad tasks called. Katie left for a patrol of the southern-most hallways, Pansy joining her. That left me, Malfoy, and Blaise alone, since Jack was at McGonagall’s office hours for Transfiguration. She had assigned a rather nasty essay on the Switching spell, even though it was supposed to be a simple revision for the O.W.L..

Malfoy and I had traded our typical library spot for a larger table, schoolbags and robes strewn about as we studied. I was currently bent over the potions textbook, taking notes on the most recent potion Snape had us learning. We weren’t supposed to brew it until this Friday, but I wanted to be prepared.

Blaise had rested his face in his folded arms, claiming he needed a quick nap to reset his brain. Malfoy was scribbling furiously beside me, no doubt working on the Transfiguration essay. Sinistra had made the Jupiter project due on Thursday, which gave him and I a few more days to work on it.

Even I felt groggy nearly an hour into our study, my eyelids growing heavy and begging to be closed. I laid my head down like Blaise’s, shutting my eyes. Malfoy woke me up after what felt like a minute, lightly brushing the feather of his quill under my nose. I awoke into a fit of sneezes, causing Malfoy and Blaise to erupt into laughter.

Soon enough, six o’clock neared, meaning that the Slytherin team was required on the field in a few minutes. Malfoy pressed a brief departing kiss to my forehead as he left, giving me one last smile before he slipped through the library door behind Blaise. 

When the clock warned me I had fifteen minutes until seven, I stood and gathered my things. Katie and Pansy had returned from their patrol, and the two gave me sympathetic smiles as I left. Pansy had been in higher spirits since the formation of the squad, probably happy that both her and Liam were given prefect-like advantages. She had started to treat me normally again, even offering to braid my hair before classes once.

The walk to Umbridge’s office was slow. I dreaded having to use the quill. Pomfrey had declared my hand officially healed a few weeks ago, though the ugly, mangled scar was left behind. A constant reminder of what I was, as well as the time I spent with Umbridge.

I passed by a few other students on the way, small waves exchanged. Umbridge was sitting behind her desk when I arrived, all items on the wood perfectly arranged.

“Good evening, Miss Wilkinson,” she greeted, folding her hands neatly in front of her. I let my bag slip from my shoulder, landing on the ground beside the chair in a loud thud. Sitting down across from her desk, I managed to form a smile.

“Hello, Professor Umbridge.”

The two of us stared at each other for a quiet moment, simply sizing the other up. “Well! Let’s see to your punishment, shall we?” The clapping of her hands sliced through the tension in the air, and she promptly stood up. 

I had seen it when I entered, the table against the other side of the wall. With both Jack and Malfoy at quidditch practice, it was just her and I for tonight. I knew she didn’t care enough to request an older prefect. She had previously wanted Malfoy and Jack to be there, just for me. Silently, I picked up my bag and crossed her office, hearing her bustle along behind me.

“Orphans must not lie?” I guessed, tucking my robes underneath me as I sat. Umbridge came to stop beside me, the black quill dangling between her fingertips. I glanced up when she didn’t say anything. 

“Oh, I’m afraid not, dear. You and I both know the Black Lake was a lie,” she tutted, placing the quill down in front of me. My eyes traced over it, and I noticed the tip was a bit sharper, the feather a slightly different shape. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say it was a different quill. “Tonight, we’ll do one word. Perhaps less words are easier to understand? Over and over, until it sinks in. You know what to do.”

Hesitantly, I picked up the quill. “‘Liar’, if you would, dear.” she continued, her hands pulling her cardigan taut. Before I could blink, she was back at her desk. Something was off, I could feel it. My gaze darted from the quill to the pink parchment, and then back.

Like I had the first time, the tip of the quill hovered over the top-left corner before I pressed down. I wrote ‘liar’ in one swift movement, but nothing happened. I paused in confusion, even lifting my left hand so I could inspect the back of it. The only thing on it was my other scar. Could Umbridge possibly feel remorse - 

I didn’t even finish my thought before I felt the familiar sting on the inside of my wrist. My eyes widened as I pulled my robes back, my fingers curling around the hem. The word ‘liar’ was bigger than how I had written it, not identical like my other detentions had gone. It was in different handwriting as well, and I gasped when I realized it was Umbridge’s. She rarely wrote in Dark Arts, but her girlish penmanship was hard to forget.

My lips parted as I watched in horror as the word repeated itself up my forearm. One succeeded the other, all the way up to the nook of my elbow. It hurt worse than my first round of detentions, the pain excruciating as I could only helplessly watch the word dig into my skin over and over. Umbridge had indeed spelled the quill differently.

“Everything alright, dear?” she called from her desk, probably having taken note that I had stopped writing. I turned around, wincing as the open wound brushed up against the cotton of my robes. This detention would require more than one roll of gauze. 

I had only looked at her to ensure one thing, but it wasn’t true. She wasn’t writing anything; rather she was leaning back in her chair, drinking tea out of one of those goddamn pink china cups. How the words appeared in her handwriting, I didn’t know. It was pure malice, and I was certain I was the first student to feel this type of wrath.

Without saying anything, I faced the wall once more. I squeezed my eyes shut as I prepared for the pain, quickly writing the word again. New searing pain rippled down my arm in succession, each one hurting more than the last. Drops of blood were beginning to gather in the cuts, and I held my sleeve away with my teeth. I had to get this done quickly, hopefully I could stop at the hospital wing before the meeting with Snape. 

I bit down hard on my robes as I scribbled the word over and over, tears soon obstructing my vision. They welled up on my lashline, globbing together with each blink. A few fell into the open cut, and I nearly hissed at the feeling. My arm soon became a ripped-up mess, though the word was more defined than my other line. I felt like sobbing, screaming even, but I couldn’t give Umbridge the satisfaction. It hurt ten times worse than it did in September.

So I carried on as silently as I could, the occasional whimper escaping me when I just couldn’t hold it in. For every line I wrote, it was repeated nine more on my arm. By the time I finished the second column, I felt extremely light-headed. The sounds of Umbridge’s mewing china plates were faint in my head, I could barely hear her slurping her tea by now.

I finished the sheet of parchment at seven-forty, which gave me twenty minutes to see Pomfrey and meet the others in the potions classroom.

Umbridge took the bloodied parchment with a smirk, her gaze immediately falling to my hand. I had covered my arm with my robes, trying my hardest to ignore the burning feeling of the material brushing against the wounds. A few drips of blood had travelled past my wrist and down the sides of my fingers, gathering at my fingertips. She let me go without another promise of a detention.

The walk to the hospital wing was dizzying. My feet kept stumbling over one another, my head incredibly light. I could barely see a meter in front of me, my eyelids heavy as I clutched the wall for support. Whether it was from the blood loss or the sheer pain, I didn’t know.

For Pomfrey’s sake, I pulled it together with a deep breath. I didn’t want her to keep me behind, that would’ve raised warning in Malfoy’s eyes. So I pretended I was fine, casually conversing with her as she bandaged my arm. Over the ten minutes, I learned that her children had gone to Hogwarts, both sorted into Hufflepuff. She pressed a few rolls of gauze into my hands before I left, and the moments spent sitting on the hospital bed actually did good for my head. I could see straight again, and I began the walk back to the dungeons. 

The walk was much too quiet with the instated curfew, giving my mind the unwanted ability to start spiraling.

I don’t know what it was, but something inside me broke. Seeing the word ‘liar’ repeat itself on my arm was too much to watch, too much to emotionally handle. I had been lying to Malfoy for weeks about the D.A., I had indirectly lied to him about tonight’s detention. Hell, I had lied to him about the pinky swear. It was like Umbridge knew, and this was her sick, twisted way of telling me she did.

My heart was pounding, my body felt like it was being pricked with a million needles. Even my vision had gone blurry again, and I found myself collapsing down in a shadowed corner of the dungeon. To anyone passing by, I would be hidden by a stone pillar. That is, if I wasn’t sobbing like I currently was. 

I tried to silence myself, to only weep into the material of my robes. My knees were drawn up to my chest, my arms clung tightly around them. I buried my face away from the low light of the dungeons, letting myself cry for what felt like the first time in forever.

The guilt was suffocating. I had managed to keep it at bay for the past few weeks, Malfoy never knowing. Umbridge’s detention had sent me over the edge. I hated myself for keeping secrets from Malfoy, especially when I demanded to know his. I had rationalized it by telling myself it was to protect him, that he didn’t need any additional stress on top of preparing for O.W.L.s and the quidditch team. 

God, it had never felt better to cry. I could feel my robes wetting from my tears, the snot beginning to build up in my nose. I didn’t care, though. It was like a dam broke within me, and I just hoped I could gather myself before eight. Which, speaking of -

“Hello?”

My head snapped up at the call. Tears were still streaming down my face, though I wasn’t crying anymore. I had nowhere to go, I had cornered myself. A deep sigh of relief came from me when I saw Jack’s face appear from around the pillar. His eyebrows were knitted together in worry, but they widened when they saw my current state.

I must’ve looked a mess, my nose and cheeks flushed a bright red while my eyes were teary and puffy. Sniffling, I watched him as he dropped to his knees beside me. His gaze swept frantically over me, clearly taking a guess at what had happened.

“Detention?” he whispered, and I meekly nodded. I averted my gaze from his intent one, wiping at my cheeks with the back of my right hand. Jack sat down on the stone beside me, maneuvering his arm so it wrapped around my shoulders. 

“Are you okay?” he murmured, lowering his voice. I had felt fine until I realized that with Jack out of practice, Malfoy was somewhere around. I didn’t want him to see me like this, to worry about yet another thing. Another part of me didn’t want him to see me so weak, babbling like a baby. It was embarrassing, really.

So, instead of answering Jack’s question, I scrambled to my feet. He let his arm fall to his side, watching me with furrowed eyebrows as I stood. “Please don’t tell him.” Jack would know who I was referring to. I swiped hastily at my cheeks with the sleeves of my robes, paying extra attention to hide the bandage. Reasonably, I couldn’t keep the punishment from them for long, but I needed to buy myself a little extra time. 

Jack just looked more confused, but he slowly began to nod. “Wha - why?”

“You owe me one, Simmons,” I shot back, though the use of his last name was in a playful manner. Or an attempted one, at least. A sad smile crossed his lips, and he nodded with more confidence.

“I don’t know what happened, but I know Malfoy won’t appreciate not knowing,” he responded matter-of-factly, and I almost rolled my eyes. I knew that, Jack.

“Just let me tell him myself, alright?” I reiterated, pressing the palms of my hands to my cheeks in an effort to cool them down. Jack sighed, but he reluctantly agreed, his hand motioning like he was zipping up his lips. The guilt began to rise again, but I swallowed it down. I would tell him, I had to. I just didn’t know when.

“Well, c’mon. Hooch held Malfoy back, but I reckon he’s on his way back by now,” Jack tugged me out of the shadows, pulling me along to the potions classroom. With a quick glance over my shoulder, I saw that the dungeons were empty and I felt my heartbeat slow in relief. He slowed once we approached the classroom’s door. Confused, I looked up at him.

“Gimme a smile before we go in, please? Just so I know you’re okay,” Jack pleaded, blocking the door with one arm. I rolled my eyes, but I shot him a somewhat genuine grin. He laughed when I did, which caused me to giggle.

Jack pushed open the door, letting me in before himself. Snape was sitting inside alone, the Daily Prophet held up in front of his face. He had charmed the tables to the perimeter of the room, leaving the middle empty. I wasn’t sure what he had planned, but it looked like it required space.

Malfoy hadn’t beat us to Snape’s, which meant he was still on his way. And, hopefully, he hadn’t seen Jack or I in the dungeons. I took a few deep breaths, trying my hardest to calm my emotions before he joined us. Jack shot me a sympathetic smile, and I could tell he had more questions that he couldn’t bring himself to ask me. 

My arm still throbbed with a dull ache, even after Pomfrey had bandaged it. At least it wasn’t my wand arm, it shouldn’t be overexerted in tonight’s lesson.

“Malfoy?” I heard Snape ask as I was setting my bag down on a table, but Jack beat me to an answer.

“On his way, professor. We just got out of practice, Hooch held him back,” he explained, shoving his hands in his trouser pockets. His wand stuck out of his back pocket, straight up into the air. The boys tended to wear comfortable clothing after practices, so Jack’s tie and button-up were long forgotten in his dormitory. He was wearing his quidditch sweater, similar to the one Malfoy had.

Snape gave a curt nod, returning his attention to the Prophet. I turned my back to the two of them, pretending to rifle through my schoolbag for something. Truthfully, I just needed a few more moments to gather myself, to present myself like everything was fine. It was the first time I was thankful for the frigid chill the dungeons constantly had; my robes helped to cloak the bulkiness that was the multiple layers of gauze.

Jack milled around the classroom as we waited for Malfoy, his eyes skimming over the jars upon jars that Snape kept on the shelves. Snape continued to read the paper, the sound of the parchment turning filling the room every few seconds.

I turned at the sound of the classroom door opening, revealing a very out-of-breath Malfoy. His eyebrows flicked upward in a silent greeting, closing the door behind him a moment later. “Hooch wanted to talk about the match this weekend,” he said, his gaze darting from me to Snape. My mouth tugged upward in the smile I always had when he was around, though it was a bit sadder than I would’ve liked. Malfoy didn’t seem to notice, instead rolling the sleeves of his button-up to his elbows as he approached the center of the classroom.

Snape promptly abandoned the Prophet on his desk, not bothering to fold it back up properly. “Very well, let’s begin.”

I scuttled to join Jack and Malfoy in the center of the room, Malfoy shooting me a quick smile of greeting. A quick wave of skepticism washed over his face, but it was gone in an instant. I gave him one back, but I still felt guilty. The soreness of my arm wasn’t helping either.

“We’ll begin with some simple defensive spells, ones that you should’ve already learned in your past years of Defense Against the Dark Arts,” Snape began, his beady eyes landing on me, then Malfoy, and finally Jack. He pursed his lips for a moment before continuing, as if to gauge our enthusiasm. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a wicked smile grow over Jack’s face. He was clearly excited about it.

“Tonight, we’ll review the Reductor curse. I’ll see how you three do with that, and we’ll go from there, understood?” Snape asked, and we responded with a silent nod. Moody - well, I suppose Crouch Jr. - had taught us the spell last year, but it had been a while since I used it. Nerves began to flood my system, something that never happened in the D.A.. Maybe it was just Snape’s presence.

With a sudden flick of his wrist, Snape spelled over three ceramic pots. They didn’t look particularly intricate, so I assumed they were old ingredient jars. “Malfoy, you first.”

Jack and I shuffled away to give Malfoy some more room, coming to a stop a few feet away. Snape eyed him, watching Malfoy ready himself.

“Reducto!” he called, throwing the spell at one of the pots. It instantaneously shattered, though Snape still seemed displeased. I raised a wary eyebrow, curious as to what more Snape wanted from us. Malfoy glanced from the pieces to Snape, waiting for a response.

“A house-elf could do better,” Snape scoffed, slowly walking to the pile of ceramic pieces. He bent down just as slow, his fingers sifting through the heap before picking up a shard. Jack gave me a confused look, clearly wondering the same thing I was. Malfoy was Snape’s favorite, and if he was considering Malfoy’s skill to be below a house-elf, I could only imagine what he had up his sleeve for Jack and I. 

Snape held the shard up, peering at Malfoy over it. “If you had to use this spell to eliminate an obstacle in your way, I don’t believe pieces this large would do you any good, now would it?” It was a rhetorical question, but Malfoy still shook his head. “The purpose of the curse, Mr. Malfoy, is to annihilate any object into tiny, fine particles. With the effort you just gave, you would have to repeat the curse numerous times in order to scramble through. And time means everything when the Killing Curse is hurtling in your direction.”

Jack and I’s widened eyes must’ve caught Snape’s attention. I had not expected Snape to refer to the Killing Curse, at least not this early. As he lowered the shard to his side, he spoke again. “Mr. Simmons and Miss Wilkinson, you surely didn’t expect these meetings to come easily, did you?”

“No, professor,” came Jack and I’s simultaneous response.

“The fact that you are Slytherins will not save you in a life-or-death situation, is that clear?” Again, the three of us hurriedly nodded our heads. “These lessons will be grueling and demanding, I will not cease until I have perfection from each of you.”

I began to feel uneasy at Snape’s intensity. Why he was taking these lessons so seriously, I didn’t know. I didn’t know anything, any reason behind his actions, and that’s what scared me the most.

“Simmons,” Snape let the shard fall from his hands, and gestured for Jack to attempt the curse. The sound of the ceramic hitting the ground rattled through the otherwise silent classroom. Malfoy slunk over to my side, a slight scowl on his lips. He definitely wasn’t used to being told his work wasn’t satisfactory. Snape was treating us differently, years beyond what we actually were.

“Well, fuck me, I guess,” Malfoy muttered under his breath, crossing his arms over his chest in a huff. A small smirk swept over my lips, but I quickly wiped it off before Snape saw. I didn’t want him to think I wasn’t taking this seriously. I mumbled back a sympathetic apology as we both watched Jack ready himself.

Jack’s hand wrung around the handle of his wand, slightly rocking back and forth on his feet as he eyed one of the ceramic pots.

“Reducto!” he finally yelled when he had gained enough confidence. A stream of blue light came from the tip of his wand, slithering through the air until it made contact with the pot. It exploded, resulting in a few more shards than Malfoy’s. Snape still looked down at Jack’s attempt in distaste.

“The power in your curse,” he simply commented on Jack’s try. Jack stood there dumbly, almost as annoyed as Malfoy had been. Snape’s eyes flicked to mine, and I bit down on my lip as I swapped places with Jack. I knew there was no way I could produce more shards than Malfoy or Jack, and I was already dreading Snape’s snide remark.

Like Jack, I gave myself a few moments of focus before I attempted the curse. Realistically, I knew I wouldn’t have this time in a real scenario, but I didn’t particularly care. If Snape was going to voice his thoughts on the amount of time I took, so be it.

I gripped my wand tightly, trying to remember the wand movement that we were taught last year. Narrowing my eyes, I yelled the incantation and shot the curse at the remaining pot. To my surprise, it broke into about as many pieces as Malfoy’s had.

Snape had no advice to offer me, simply raising his wand and repairing the pots. He also enlarged them a bit, which meant we had more material to blast. In turn, it would make the curse harder to perform properly, and Snape knew it. I stood there awkwardly for a moment, my wand dangling at my side before I turned on my heel and stood between Malfoy and Jack.

We spent nearly two hours on the Reductor curse. I was growing tired, my last few attempts sloppy. But, the size of the shards became smaller and smaller, signifying our increasing skill in using the curse. Even Snape seemed to become more satisfied, the crease in between his eyebrows lessening as the night went on.

He dismissed us a bit past ten, telling us we would meet again on Friday night. The walk back to the common room was quick, given the close proximity to the potions classroom. Umbridge rarely patrolled the dungeons since she claimed that her Slytherins would never break the rules, be out past curfew. Still, the boys and I scurried back to the common room.

I made certain to give Malfoy his goodnight kiss, waving the two goodbye as we slipped away towards our rooms. Katie and Pansy were none the wiser, thinking that I had spent time with Malfoy in the library. 

That night, after his three students had returned to their dormitories, Snape retreated to his office. He sat at his desk, hastily yanking a quill out of an inkpot as he smoothed a roll of parchment. A simple, nondescript letter would suffice, he had heard the rumors about Umbridge intercepting owls. 

“”Lucius -

I have begun what we talked about.

Severus””

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I truly don’t know why, but I like really like how I started and ended this chapter?? Like i’ve never felt like that idk but happy reading!!
> 
> Also! This might be a weird request, but if you have absolutely any question/comment/whatever about the fic, pls lmk in the comments :) Literally it can be the smallest thing, I don’t mind, I love talking with all of you. I saw something similar in another fic, so I thought I’d give it a shot lol


	59. chapter fifty-six

“I told you to stop stealing my hair ties! Now I don’t have any and my hair looks like this!”

My eyelids fluttered open at the loud whining, though they immediately squinted against the morning sunshine. From what I could make out through my bleary vision, Katie was standing in the middle of the room, and from the looks of it, she was furious. Her shoulders were hackled high, her hands thrown out to the side in an exasperated manner.

“I didn’t take them!” Pansy shot back, clearly just as angry as Katie. “It’s not my fault you can’t do the drying spell properly!” 

I let my eyes fall shut again, tugging my pillow out from underneath my head and hiding underneath it. It was too early to deal with their bickering, so I clamped my ears between the feathers. Their voices were soon muffled but they still continued to fight.

It took a few minutes, but suddenly they quieted and I peeked a warning eye out from under the pillow. Katie was sitting on Pansy’s trunk with her arms crossed and a frown on her face, Pansy kneeling on her duvet cover behind her and braiding her hair. At least the issue got resolved.

Katie was off to meet Blaise for a morning walk, the two had been talking about soaking up the last few sunny days that autumn had to offer. Pansy soon slipped out of the room to shower, leaving me alone as I readied myself for the day. My usual grey sweater was in the laundry hamper, which meant I had to dig out a backup. Kneeling on the ground opposite my dresser, I began to rummage through the bottom drawer.

My fingers trailed over the familiar stitching of Malfoy’s quidditch number, and a smile spread over my face before I could stop it. I hadn’t worn it much since the school year started, Umbridge’s rules and all that. Dumbledore used to ease up on the dress code on Fridays, but Umbridge required all students to wear their entire getup of button-ups and ties each and every day. Tugging it out of the drawer, I let the sleeves unfold as the faint scent of Malfoy’s cologne filled my nose. It was starting to fade, much to my dismay, and I decided on returning it to him for a few days.

Pansy still hadn’t returned from the bathroom yet. Honestly, that girl could take three hour showers if she could. Quickly, with one eye on the door, I dug out the roll of gauze Pomfrey had given me from my nightstand. I sat on the edge of my bed and wrapped up my left arm as securely as I could. It seemed as though no matter how hard I tried, I could never match Pomfrey’s work.

The cuts weren’t healed in the slightest, the letters still raised in irritated red welts. My hand had throbbed with pain last night, keeping me up hours after Katie and Pansy had fallen asleep. The salve had worked on the back of my hand earlier this term, but I had to wait until the new cuts scabbed over.

Before I left the dormitory for classes, I laid Malfoy’s sweater over my duvet. As much as I really wanted to wear it, I knew I shouldn’t. Didn’t want to get another detention from Umbridge when Malfoy wasn’t looking.

I walked alone to the Great Hall. None of my friends were in the common room when I arrived, so I assumed the boys were either already eating breakfast or sleeping in. Malfoy had been pushing them harder in quidditch practices to ensure Slytherin would win the next game, so I’m sure they were exhausted even this early in the week. The loss to Gryffindor had been embarrassing. And the fistfight was just the cherry on top.

Stifling a yawn, I turned a corner and nearly ran straight into someone. The bushy, brown hair caught my attention first, and I quickly realized it was Granger.

“Oh! Grang-” I started, but immediately caught myself. Honestly, I still wasn’t sure why I called Hermione by her last name, but it seemed like we had crossed the first-name bridge. “Hermione, I’m so sorry.”

We both straightened ourselves, her hands coming to grasp tightly onto her books while mine smoothed out my jumper. “Oh, it’s okay, Olive. Don’t worry about it.” I knew she was still wary of me, even if we weren’t in the same D.A. meeting group anymore. She made a move to walk around me, and in the same second, I remembered the letter Umbridge had sent to those on the Inquisitorial Squad a few days ago. Athena still refused the pink parchment, but I had snuck a glance over Malfoy’s shoulder.

“Wait a second,” I stopped her, and she turned. One of her eyebrows raised, her lips slightly pursed as she looked at me. “Uh - well, I thought it might help with the D.A. - that is, if you even want to know - which I’m sure you do, that was a stupid question.” My sentences were more fragmented than I would’ve liked, I didn’t know why I was getting so flustered. I really wanted her to trust me, since the Weasleys already did, and it seemed like I was growing on Potter.

“Anyways,” I restarted, collecting my thoughts through a deep breath. “Umbridge rescheduled the nightly patrols, something about wanting to cover more ground.” Hermione’s right eyebrow rose to match her left, suddenly very interested in what I had to say. “So, the southern corridors are patrolled from six to six-thirty instead of five-thirty to six, and then they’re supposed to move to the western ones right after. Since the Room of Requirement is nearby, I figured you’d want to know and pass it along to Potter. Maybe reschedule meetings or something.” 

The rest of my explanation was rushed out in practically one breath, letting her know of a few other changes Umbridge had made.

“Aren’t you in the Inquisitorial Squad? What’s your schedule like?” she asked, her fingers wrapping tightly around the books she was clutching to her chest.

I closed my mouth, swallowing before I answered. “Well, yes, I guess,” I averted my gaze, looking down at the ground. “But I don’t ever do my duties, they’re a waste of time. And rather stupid, if you ask me.”

A small smirk of amusement crept onto Hermione’s face, and I felt a wave of relief wash through me. Maybe her and I were heading in the right direction. She nodded, reaching up to brush a strand of her out of her face. “I’ll let Harry know. Thank you, Olive. I’ll be sure to charm the galleons to let you know about the next meeting, alright?” Her voice was serious, and she gave me a small smile before she slipped around me and continued on her way.

I didn’t move until she was out of my sight. Starting to feel overjoyed, I bit down on my lip as I started walking towards the Great Hall again. Hermione really wasn’t as bad as the others made her out to be. Sure, she could be the annoying know-it-all in class and earn Gryffindor loads of points, but at least she took the attention off us. Honestly, it made classes just a bit more bearable, not having to worry about being cold-called for answers.

By the time I entered the Great Hall, a wide smile was on my face. I nearly skipped over to Jack and Malfoy, who were already halfway through their breakfast. Couldn’t wait for me in the common room, I guess.

“You seem like you’re in a good mood today,” Malfoy chuckled as I approached, a playful twinkle in his eye as he held out his hand. Knowing the drill, I slipped the strap of my bag into his waiting hand and he placed it down on the ground beside his.

“I am,” I said matter-of-factly, pressing a quick greeting kiss to Malfoy’s cheek. He hummed happily, scooting closer to me after I sat. Our thighs were pressed against one another’s, his warmth radiating through the material of our trousers. Jack was sitting across from us, but he was immersed with reading the Prophet. His eyes shot back and forth as he read, one hand grasping the paper while the other held a spoonful of oatmeal. He shot me a quick smile, but he immediately returned to the paper.

“What’s got you in such a good mood?” Malfoy questioned, plucking an extra shiny red apple from the fruit bowl in the center of the table. He sat it down beside my empty plate, taking a green one afterwards for himself. I still couldn’t understand his affinity for green apples, they were so sour and bitter sometimes. 

I shrugged, leaning into him as I wiped the apple off on the sleeve of my robes. “Can’t a girl just be happy to see her boyfriend?”

“I suppose I don’t see anything wrong with that,” he smirked, looking down at me as he bit into his apple. He started to complain about the essay that Flitwick had assigned, and I listened, throwing in a few reassurances every once in a while. We were moving out of fourth-year revisions in Charms, beginning to learn new ones for the O.W.L..

Katie and Blaise joined us a few moments later, Pansy and Liam coming as well. Soon, the Slytherin table was filled with light-hearted banter and laughter, the group talking our way through breakfast.

Classes went fairly smoothly. Dark Arts was boring as ever, the usual silent reading taking up most of the class. Umbridge shot me a few direct glares, but I ignored each one. Malfoy didn’t say anything, so I assumed he hadn’t noticed. Once he got reading, it was hard to pull him away. When I was at the manor this past summer, I had noticed the tall floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in the living room when we were leaving. I wondered just how much of their collection he had read.

After my last class, Ginny had caught me in the hallway for a quick moment. With what I had told Hermione that morning, Potter was indeed planning on rescheduling the D.A. meetings. She relayed that we probably wouldn’t meet again until next week, since Potter wanted to ensure the members had no conflicts, and also wanted time to scout out the new patrol routes. 

Malfoy had yet again claimed he couldn’t complete the Inquisitorial Squad tasks. Jack left after class to oversee a detention with Snape for the two Slytherin third-years he had caught bullying a Ravenclaw. For once, Snape’s detentions weren’t the worst among the professors. 

As we walked back to the common room, Malfoy and I’s clasped hands swung between us. He was getting more and more comfortable with public displays of affection, and I was soaking up whatever he could give me. A few other students stared as we passed, but he simply only squeezed my hand in reassurance. No one dared to ask him about it.

A couple other Slytherins were studying at the round table when we entered, so Malfoy tugged me over to the empty couches. The fire was raging, as the sunny morning had turned into torrential afternoon rain. This was, by far, the most inconsistent autumn Hogwarts had in years, but I quite enjoyed the gloomy weather. It was cozy and comforting. And it gave me a reason to snuggle up to Malfoy whenever I could.

“I’ll be right back,” I told him after we dropped our bags in front of the couches. He had already slumped onto the leather cushions, his feet promptly kicked onto the edge of the coffee table. On our walk, he had slightly loosened his tie, allowing his neck to breathe. His robes were long shed, now draped over the armrest of the couch.

Malfoy nodded, leaning back as he pulled his bag onto his lap and began rifling through it. We needed to finish Flitwick’s essay, though it required loads of research beforehand. I figured the others would take their studying to the library, so I hoped Malfoy and I would get some time alone.

I gave him one last smile before I disappeared down the girl’s wing, slipping through the door of my dormitory. Malfoy’s sweater was exactly where I left it. In a breeze, my jumper, button-up and tie were piled on top of my trunk all in quick succession. I would fold them later, I wanted to get back to Malfoy. Pulling his sweater over my head, I tugged my hair out from under the collar as I walked back to the common room.

Malfoy was hunched over, his fingertip trailing under a line of text as he read. His lips slightly moved with each word, like he was mouthing along with whatever he was reading. He looked so innocent, so pure. I felt a smile of admiration spread over my face, and I approached him slowly as to not startle him.

When he finally did notice my presence, his gaze trailed lazily up my torso to my face. A smirk pulled the end of his mouth up, and he leaned back against the cushions. The Charms textbook was pushed off to the side, and he reached out to grab at the hem of the sweater.

“What’s this?” he said, though I knew he was fibbing. The mischievousness in his eyes told me exactly what he was thinking. I let him pull me closer to him, only stopping when my shins hit the edge of the couch. Standing between his knees, I looked down at him as his finger twisted around the hem.

“Yours, you goof.”

“You look much better in it, maybe you should try out for the team. Get one of your own, y’know?” he chuckled, his gaze dropping to the embroidered number. I rolled my eyes, a small scoff escaping my lips at his cheesy compliment. Even still, they filled my stomach with millions of butterflies. It was like he and I were the only ones in the common room, the other students vanishing from my peripheral vision. 

“I like yours much better. Smells good,” I shrugged. Malfoy brought his blue eyes back up to meet mine, the oceans behind pulling me in and just begging me to take the bait.

“Yeah?” he mumbled, his gaze finding a steady spot on my lips. I smiled, my fingers coming to wrap around his wrist. He let me take his grasp from the sweater easily, his hand dropping to ghost over the front pockets of my pants. I simply nodded, bringing one knee up to rest on the cushion alongside his thigh.

“You kill me, y’know that right?” Malfoy nearly groaned as I swiveled on my heel, collapsing down next to him. I giggled at the tease, snatching his Charms textbook and placing it on my lap.

“I know,” my response was curt, and he sighed. I shifted on the couch so my back was laid on top of the cushions, the crook between my neck and head resting on his thigh. Bringing my knees upwards, I opened his textbook to the current chapter and began reading. Malfoy was stiff for a few moments, before he finally leaned forward and tugged my copy from my bag. He rested the spine on the armrest, careful to not hit my forehead when he opened my textbook.

The two of us began to read silently. Flitwick had assigned the essay on the Substantive Charm, and since we hadn’t learned anything about it in class quite yet, the textbook would be our main source of information. I was nearly dozing off when I felt my hair being ever so slightly pulled. Glancing up under my eyelashes, I saw that Malfoy was still focused on the text, but he had begun to absentmindedly twirl the ends of my hair around his fingers.

He looked so stoic when he studied. His eyebrows slightly knitted together in concentration, the smallest scowl on his lips. The Substantive Charm was long forgotten as I let my gaze roam around his face, taking in each and every feature. His jawline had begun to sharpen with age, his Adam’s apple becoming more prominent. 

There was no way Malfoy hadn’t noticed my gawking. But, he continued to read, his free hand flipping the page when necessary. His other hand was still raking through my hair, careful not to tug too hard when it became tangled in a knot. I let out a hum of satisfaction, returning my attention to the section on application.

Not much of the essay was written that night, Malfoy and I became much too tired after reading for what felt like hours. The common room had darkened a bit, the candles in the chandeliers seeming to glow just a tad brighter. The fire kept us warm while we studied, the crackling noises relaxing. Too relaxing, perhaps, as I kept drifting off.

When we finally decided to call it a night, I stood, stifling a yawn. Malfoy was slipping his book and parchment back into his bag, and I started to shimmy off his sweater. I did want to return it to him, after all. 

“Can you wear this for a bit? I know it sounds weird, but it doesn’t really smell li-”

“What the bloody hell is that.”

I froze, my face still hidden behind the sweater that I was pulling off. Both my arms were already out, helping to lower my head through the neck hole. I had totally forgotten about the bandage. Truthfully, I don’t know how I had been so stupid.

Malfoy yanked the sweater back down before I could even blink. He practically redressed me, guiding my arms back through the sleeves. So I wasn’t standing there in just my tank top, I presumed, for anyone to see if they walked in. I felt like a rag doll that he was tossing around, doing absolutely nothing as he straightened the bottom hem.

“What’s what?” I tried coyly, though I knew the fake confusion wouldn’t last long under Malfoy’s intensity. He huffed angrily, but didn’t say anything as he pushed the left sleeve up and over the bandage. I simply let him take my arm, too exhausted to fight it. My nerves surged with guilt, and I felt my neck bob with a thick swallow.

The cuts from Umbridge’s quill were still open, the measly twenty-four hours didn’t do much for the healing process. I’m sure Malfoy was more concerned about the extent of the bandage, since it wound from my wrist all the way up to my elbow. Before, it had only crossed back and forth around my thumb and my hand. Without even having to look underneath, Malfoy knew this was worse.

“That,” he nearly growled, his hands holding my forearm. His gaze rose up and down my arm, skimming over the gauze and his nostrils began to flare in anger. “What the bloody hell is this, Wilkinson.”

“It’s nothin-”

“Don’t you lie to me!” he practically shouted, and I flinched at the sudden outburst. Thankfully, the other students had retreated to their rooms, leaving just he and I in the common room. But the volume of his voice could probably be heard down the hallway, anyways.

“Was it Umbridge?” His eyes held the most hatred I had ever seen, pure malice swirling behind his irises. Honestly, it was rather scary seeing him like this. It was like a switch had been flicked inside him the second he saw the bandage.

I gulped nervously, averting my gaze to the fire. Although his hands never gripped my arm tightly, never once forcing me to stay within his grasp, I knew better than to try to shy away from his touch. So, I simply just nodded.

The second he got my confirmation, Malfoy dropped the hold on my arm and spun on his heel. Now that he was no longer looking at me, I flicked my gaze back to him. His shoulders were shaking, one hand wildly tugging at his hair as he began to pace down the length of the coffee table.

“What was it?” he muttered lowly, his back to me. This time, I was truly confused.

“What’s what?” I murmured, hoping he would hear the truth behind my question. He only sighed dramatically, spinning back around to face me.

“Don’t play dumb,” Malfoy snapped, and my eyes widened. I knew he didn’t mean it, but that didn’t make the words hurt any less. He didn’t seem to notice, as he continued. “What was it, what did she make you write? That’s the biggest bandage I’ve ever seen come out of any of her detentions.”

I hated it. I hated his attitude, I hated him calling me dumb. He was coming to all these conclusions by himself. When I didn’t answer right away, he took another few steps towards me. I held my ground, but I looked away, my eyes now tracing a knothole in the wood of the table.

His hand shot out to grasp at the end of the bandage, beginning to unwrap it for himself. I gasped at the sudden intrusion, and I was pushing his shoulders before I knew it. He stumbled back a few paces, but he quickly regained his balance. How we went from cuddling and reading on the couch to whatever this was, I couldn’t explain.

“I can’t believe you got yourself another detention! Did you just, like, forget everything we talked about? How could you be that stupid?” he continued on his rant, his chest beginning to heave with each and every breath. My mouth dropped open in shock, but I tugged the sleeve of the sweater back down.

“Would you stop that?” I scoffed, shooting him a spent look.

“Stop what?” He had decided it was his turn to play dumb.

“Just - just stop meddling in my business!” I huffed, throwing my hands up in the air in annoyance. “You owl’d your father, and what happened? It got me, and everyone else in this goddamn school, in even more trouble. You watched over my detention and didn’t say anything. I’m over there ripping my skin apart with that goddamn quill and you’re bantering on with Umbridge about fucking quidditch!” My voice was laced with sarcasm, my eyes rolling in disbelief. “Nothing happened until bloody Snape intervened in Potions! You just sat there detention after detention, letting Umbridge cut up my arm! You didn’t do anything!”

Maybe my words were too harsh. Malfoy’s face immediately fell, though he pressed his lips together firmly. His Adam’s apple bobbed in a swallow, and his gaze shifted to anywhere but me.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-” I took a step towards him, reaching out to grab the hand that was resting on his hip. But I stopped talking when he yanked his hand away, his fingers immediately curling into fists as he turned his back to me again. The gesture tugged at my heart, an invisible hand clenching it the tightest it could.

I think I hated it most when he was silent and his face was expressionless. It was like he was laying those bricks back into place, closing me off. I couldn’t read him, couldn’t figure out what he was thinking. Angry with myself, I kicked at the rug before I collapsed back down on the couch. I couldn’t believe we were fighting about Umbridge again, out of all things. At this rate, the truth about the D.A. would be an atomic bomb.

My breathing had picked up when I was giving him a piece of my mind, my heart pounding rapidly against my ribcage. With a shaky sigh, I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees, hiding my face in my hands. Malfoy hadn’t said anything, his back still facing me.

A few quiet moments passed. The only noise was the crackling fire, but I didn’t feel any warmth from it anymore. The leather beneath my legs was cold, and my arm was beginning to throb in pain with all the tugging and grabbing. I willed myself not to cry, even though I felt the tears building up.

I hadn’t moved at all, my face still protected by my palms. My eyes had closed anyways, squeezed tight as I tried to calm myself down. It wasn’t until I felt the couch cushion dip from beside me that I peeled my face away. Malfoy had sat down, his knees spread wide as he gazed impassively into the fireplace.

I didn’t know, but our hearts were thumping in time. They began to slow as we sat beside one another, letting our anger evaporate away.

Without a sound, Malfoy reached for my left arm, which was now dangling off my knee. I didn’t dare make a move of objection, letting him lay it across his lap as his fingers began to fiddle with the end of the bandage. It was a few seconds of lifting and lowering my arm until my skin was completely exposed. The bandage had been pooled on the couch between us, the dried blood staining the white gauze a dark red. I heard a sharp inhale come from his nose, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him.

His hands gently cradled my arm, careful not to touch any of the cuts. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched his scour up and down the cuts, his lips slightly parting.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he murmured, looking from the cuts to me. My gaze was still on the table, and I sucked in a shaky breath.

“I didn’t want to worry you,” I answered truthfully. It wasn’t a lie, he was so stressed with academics and quidditch. He didn’t need any other distractions.

“I don’t think I’ll never not worry about you,” he nearly whispered, and I felt as he rested my arm carefully on his thigh. A moment later, his hand slunk around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. I let myself fall, my cheek resting against his bicep in a swift movement. 

“I don’t like you keeping things from me, alright? You don’t have to tell me everything, I get that, but I think anything regarding Umbridge is reasonable, yeah?” Malfoy continued. His tone was a sharp contrast to the one he was yelling with mere minutes ago. This was the most mediation he had ever used, trying to find a common solution that we could both agree upon. Sniffling, I nodded against his shoulder. I hadn’t even realized I had started crying.

“Don’t cry, Olive.” I let my muscles go lax as he leaned forward, looking down at me with concern etched over his features. His words were a soft command, but this time, I didn’t care about being told what to do. My eyes shut as he reached up, brushing his thumb over each cheek in turn. Any tears were wiped away, leaving nothing behind but Malfoy’s lingering touch.

“‘M sorry,” I mumbled, turning my face further into his shoulder. Pulling my knees upwards, I bent my legs over his. My hand came to fist his sweater, balling up the material between my fingers. Malfoy’s right hand skimmed up my back, coming to stop behind my neck.

He simply sighed, turning his head so he could press his lips against my forehead. He held the kiss for a few seconds, his exhale tickling my hair. When he pulled away, I only nuzzled into him further, holding his sweater tight.

We sat like that for what felt like forever. His right arm wrapped around my shoulders, his left hand cupping one of my knees. I sat on his lap, refusing to let him go. We both made certain not to brush any material against my cuts, taking extra care when we readjusted ourselves. One lie down, one to go. And the last one could be detrimental, given his reaction tonight.

But Malfoy still didn’t apologize for what he had said. His pride, his ego, was much too fragile to even consider being shattered.

\---

Snape began Friday’s meeting with the Reductor curse. Currently, Jack, Malfoy, and I were twenty minutes in, and Snape was still berating us on each and every attempt.

Over the past few days, my cuts had healed, though ‘liar’ was still readable through the mangled skin. Malfoy had never left my side since our fight about Umbridge, refusing to give the woman a one-second chance to give me hell. Even at meals, he consistently glanced at the professor’s table, just to make sure she wasn’t teetering down the aisle towards us. Once he found out I was given detention while he was in the bathroom, he was livid. From then on out, he swore to never leave me alone. 

He tugged me along to quidditch practices, allowing me to sit on the sidelines as I watched the boys practice. Wednesday had been an exceptionally rainy day, which made me quite irritable as I was absolutely soaked by the time Malfoy touched back down. He thought it was funny, however, seeing my damp hair and the scowl on my face.

In Dark Arts, Malfoy kept his knee touching mine at all times. Every so often, he would reach for my hand under the table and squeeze it reassuringly. Really only during silent reading, though.

With the lack of D.A. meetings, I felt as though my shoulders were a bit lighter. I was able to focus on schoolwork, or following Malfoy around whenever I could. He had worn his old quidditch sweater for a couple days, and I had my favorite thing to sleep in again.

“It’s the motion of your wrist, Simmons! A sharp angle is required, how many times do I have to repeat myself?” Snape said in an exasperated manner, dramatically showing the movement with his own wand. Jack rolled his eyes once he turned towards Malfoy and I, shuffling back. The three of us had caught onto Snape’s preference of order, so I stepped forward. 

Like normal, I readied myself before I called the spell. Gathering my focus, planting my feet firmly on the ground, all that preparation. I steadied my gaze on my pot, imagining it being blown to smithereens. Snape cleared his throat, breaking my trance. 

I blinked a few times, and then yelled the incantation. The pot broke into a number of pieces, enough that it would be difficult to repair by hand.

“You need more power, Wilkinson. Enunciate your words and call the curse like you mean it,” Snape said lowly, his eyes narrowing at me. He was talking to me like I was dumb, that I couldn’t possibly perform the curse as well as the boys. I was so fed up with calling this stupid curse over and over, especially when it never met Snape’s apparent standards. If I never said this incantation ever again, I’d be totally happy.

“I believe I made myself clear before, Miss Wilkinson. If you simply don’t have the courage or determination to continue with these lessons, today can quite definitely be your last,” Snape continued, and I heard Jack let out a quiet whistle from behind me. I knew Snape knew what he was doing, that he wanted to get under our skin. He probably claimed it was motivation.

Grinding my teeth together, my eyes flicked from Snape to the table behind the pots. Or what was left of them, I supposed. If Snape didn’t believe in me, there was only one way to prove to him. I didn’t give myself the time to focus my energy or to envision the pile of rubble. I didn’t need it.

“Reducto!” I yelled with such force, I surprised myself. The stream of light hurtled towards the table, sucking my internal rage with it. I felt my wand shake at the power of the curse, which hit the tabletop directly in the center. The deafening crack of the wood splitting sliced through the air.

Instantaneously, the table shattered into more pieces than any of my previous attempts combined with Malfoy’s and Jack’s. The wood was pulverized, the only remnants of it tiny, tiny particles that mirrored the side of dust. It was so broken that I wasn’t even sure Snape could repair it.

I didn’t see it, since he was behind me, but Malfoy’s eyes widened as he peered around my shoulder. Snape’s eyebrow raised, indicating he was somewhat impressed. I had been so distracted by the curse hitting the table that I hadn’t realized my wand was still raised, the tip still pointing straight at it.

“Very good,” Snape said simply, his eyes skimming over what was left of the table. Honestly, it was just piles of dark-brown dust. I had even blown the tiny grains of wood to pieces. “That, Mr. Simmons and Mr. Malfoy, is how the Reductor Curse should be performed. Miss Wilkinson, you can sit until we move onto the next spell.”

With a satisfied huff, I turned on my heel and stormed back to the boys. This time, however, I hoisted myself onto the edge of an empty table. I let my legs swing back and forth as I watched Malfoy approach the center of the room while Snape repaired the pots. One was spelled to sit by his desk, leaving the boys with their two.

It took a few rounds, but Malfoy and Jack eventually performed the curse to Snape’s standards. With a flick of his wand, the three pots were whisked away into the storage closet.

“You were introduced to hex-deflection last year, am I correct?” Snape twirled around to face the three of us, his arms folded over his chest. We answered him with a chorus of affirmations, to which Snape simply nodded at. Moody had given us a particularly intense test on hex-deflection, so much so that Jack had caught a bad case of Twitchy Ears for days after. It was easily the most traumatizing test I had ever taken.

“We’ll expand on that, then,” Snape moved us past the Reductor Curse, and I felt my body fill with excitement once more. The Reductor Curse had quite possibly been the bane of my existence since we started with it, and I was overjoyed to know we were progressing. It was exhilarating, learning Dark Arts from Snape. He clearly had the passion for it. I wondered why he was never the professor for the class.

“Salvio hexia is a protective enchantment, it will protect you from any unwanted hexes in your immediate area. Understood?” Snape asked, and we nodded once more. He went on to have us repeat the incantation a few times, and then taught us the wand movement. Moody had taught us a few hexes last year, all simple and non-threatening in practice. We had read about a handful more in Umbridge’s, but given her wand rule, we had never actually performed them.

“We’ll start with a review of immediate hex-deflection. Miss Wilkinson, if you will cast a hex of your preference on Mr. Simmons. He will try to deflect it, and we’ll go from there,” Snape’s gaze flicked between the two of us, and I smirked, twirling my wand between my fingers. Given my little show with the table, I was on a confidence high.

Jack and I stood opposite one another in the center of the room, Jack gripping his wand tightly as he tried to remember the hex-deflection spell. It had been a while, but one hex in particular stuck out in my mind.

I raised my wand, shooting Jack a quick smile before I yelled the incantation. “Colloshoo!”

Just like I had expected, Jack went to step forward like he always did whenever he called a spell. But, with his shoes now firmly stuck to the ground, he fell face-first before he even got the chance to open his mouth. Malfoy snickered from the perimeter of the room, and I snuck a glance at him. 

His sleeves were rolled up like they had been on Monday, exposing his forearms. His arms were crossed over his chest, his wand poking out from behind his elbow as he leaned against the edge of a table. He looked extra handsome tonight. Maybe it was the mess of his hair, the gel having given out by this time in the evening. Or the simple sweater he was wearing, enhancing the broadness of his shoulders.

Snape’s mouth tugged up in the slightest show of amusement, though he un-hexed Jack a moment later. He scrambled to his feet, shooting me a playful glare as he ensured his shoes were no longer glued to the ground. 

The rest of the meeting was spent attempting various hex-deflections. The topic was broad enough that I was certain Snape would have us work on it for at least the next few meetings. He let us go with a reminder of the homework assignment in potions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello!! Finally done with my last week of lecture (which also involves a stupid amount of assignments and projects), only four more finals to go!! I found out I got a 100% on my second manufacturing midterm so I’m feeling super good lololol
> 
> I hope you all are doing well!! I’m sorry I didn’t get this up earlier, I really wanted to make sure the fight scene was to my liking lmfao


	60. chapter fifty-seven

“Brilliant job, Olive!” Harry called as he walked by, smiling at the pile of dust in front of me. It had been a wooden crate five seconds ago, but I had annihilated it. I was getting rather good at performing the Reduction curse, given my time with the D.A. and the lessons with Snape. If it was on the Dark Arts O.W.L. at the end of the year, I’d say I had a pretty good shot of getting a high mark.

“Thanks!” I smiled back before turning to Ginny. She was attempting to blast another crate into pieces, but her curse kept fizzling out before it even reached the wood. 

“Blimey, wouldn’t want to be on the other end of your wand,” Fred chuckled, his hands on his hips as he stared at my pile. I snickered in response, looking over his shoulder to see George successfully blow up a ceramic pot. The twins had been going back and forth all meeting about who could make a bigger mess. Currently, I’d say Fred was winning. I wasn’t sure where Potter had gotten all the crates and pots and such, but I had overheard him mention a kitchen elf that was helping him.

Potter had rearranged the D.A. groups after the news of Umbridge’s new patrol schedule. He had kept the twins, Ginny, and I together, and added Hermione and Ron. Luna was with us now as well, though she stood by herself during meetings. She claimed to focus better that way. Thankfully, Zacharias was in the Thursday group, which meant I didn’t have to deal with his god-awful self anymore. However, his absence was replaced with -

“Merlin, Cho! Would you watch where those shards are going, please?” she whined, her voice carrying throughout the Room of Requirement. Marietta Edgecombe was ten times as annoying as Zacharias was. 

“Honestly, are you trying to send me to Pomfrey’s again?” Marietta continued, and I physically winced at her voice. It was like nails against a chalkboard. She was an insufferable git, really.

Even Hermione agreed with me, and that was saying something.

Luna told me she had been in a sour mood ever since Chang accidentally set her sleeve on fire, back in the very first D.A. meeting. She wasn’t extremely fond of Potter, either. Honestly, I was surprised she hadn’t left the D.A. already. Then again, Hermione’s charmed parchment of names would be sure to tell us who did.

Ron spun on his heel the second she spoke, giving us an exasperated look as he rolled his eyes. Ginny stifled a laugh beside me, but the two of us eventually ended up in a fit of giggles. Ron was short with Marietta too, he was pretty transparent about that.

“Five knuts she’ll end up in the hospital wing by the end of the night,” George muttered to his brother, and Fred’s face morphed into a devilish grin. As the boys settled out their bet, Ginny and I returned to practicing the curse. A few minutes later, she was smiling proudly at a heap of wooden pieces.

The rest of the meeting went by rather fast, Potter having shortened them with the new schedule. I waved goodbye to the Ginny and the twins as they split off for the Gryffindor common room, and continued on my way. It was a Monday night, which meant the homework load wasn’t too much. I was looking forward to relaxing with Malfoy and the others for the rest of the evening. 

“Wilkinson?”

I glanced up from where I was staring at the ground as I walked, meeting Malfoy’s eyes almost immediately. He was standing at the corner of another hallway, one hand on his schoolbag as his other gripped his school robes. He was still dressed in his quidditch robes, since practice had been scheduled after dinner. It should’ve ended at seven, but I guess Malfoy let the team go early.

“Oh! Hey, you,” I’m sure my face looked shocked at first, but it quickly melted into a grin. Picking up my pace, I jogged over to him. He soon matched my smile, offering an arm out so I could slip in for a quick hug.

“What’re you doing out of the dormitory? I thought you said you and Katie were going back after dinner,” he asked, pressing a kiss to the top of my head as I nuzzled into his side. My heart leapt at his question, and not in the good way. I suppose I had told him that white lie, that Katie and I would study in the common room after we ate. We technically had, but she claimed that she needed a nap after only thirty minutes. While she slept, I had snuck out to meet the others in the Room of Requirement. 

“Oh, she fell asleep so I went to the library. You know how she is,” I chuckled lightheartedly. Grabbing onto his shoulder for support, I planted a quick kiss on his cheek. His hair was slightly mussed, most likely from the wind during practice. The entire day, Hogwarts had been wrapped in a relentless windstorm, though no rain ever fell from the sky.

He lazily draped his arm over my shoulders as we began to walk. “I just don’t like you walking around by yourself anymore,” he sighed. “Especially with Umbridge.”

I nodded, returning my gaze to the stone underneath our feet. Nervously, my hands ran up and down the strap of my schoolbag. “I know.”

My voice was much smaller than I had meant for it to be, but I don’t think Malfoy noticed. Instead, we soon started to walk in time with one another, rounding a corner that would take us towards the dungeons.

“This new patrol schedule is ridiculous, anyways. It’s like she’s really trying to catch students that are going against her rules. Which I suppose I don’t mind, but it’s just a time commitment for the rest of us,” he groaned, and I felt the invisible hand squeeze my heart even tighter. Malfoy couldn’t have had a clue about the D.A., he would’ve brought it up already. But even still, his words were innocent, completely unknowing of the truth.

So I agreed simply. “Yeah, they are,” I bit down on my lip, desperately racking my brain for how to change the conversation. “How was practice?”

I felt Malfoy’s hand skim down my upper arm as we turned another corner, rubbing absentmindedly. “Pretty good. Jack’s come up with some new plays, and, as much as I hate to admit it, they’re pretty clever.”

Chuckling, I leaned into Malfoy’s side. “He’s the best Chaser you’re ever going to get, you better not take him for granted.”

“Best player, hm?” Malfoy shot back immediately, but I knew he had heard me correctly. He was only instigating, though he was gentle with it.

“I said best Chaser. Besides, Slytherin’s Seeker is more my taste,” I smiled, my free hand coming to rest on top of his. Before I knew it, he had pulled us down a shadowed corridor, one that branched off the hallway we were just in.

“Is he?” Malfoy hummed, glancing over his shoulder quickly as we delved deeper into the darkness.

“Very much so. Great bum, too,” I giggled, slinking out from under his grasp. In a second, my schoolbag was on the ground and my back was pressed against a stone wall. Malfoy had abandoned his bag and robes as well, gathered in a heap near mine.

Unconsciously, I bit down on my bottom lip as Malfoy’s forearm came to rest against the stone besides my head. He was caging me in, but I didn’t care. Besides, my mind was off the D.A. by now.

“It’s a requirement,” he taunted, his blue eyes sweeping over my face. Over my eyes, down my nose, across my lips. I pushed the Room of Requirement to the back of my mind, letting my gaze focus on his lips. He looked incredibly attractive in his quidditch robes. It was like they were made perfectly for him, hugging each muscle and hitting just below his knee. Though I suppose they probably were. “The Seeker having the best arse and all.”

His speech became slurred, his other hand resting on my waist. I hummed happily underneath him, my hands coming to press against his chest. We were completely out of sight for anyone walking by. Malfoy was intoxicating, and I was certain he knew it. Still, I couldn’t give myself up to him. Not yet, at least.

“Is that why Potter has such a good one, too?” I teased, and a wave of possessiveness flashed across Malfoy’s face. Bingo.

“Been looking at Potter, have we?” he murmured. I could feel his breath against my face, his lips centimeters from mine. Why he wouldn’t kiss me, I didn’t know. In an effort to coax him forward, I let my gaze shift to his lips. My eyes slowly traced over the curve they held, before locking onto his irises again.

“You should open your ears more often, Malfoy. I recall saying Slytherin’s Seeker is my type,” I reassured him, one hand slipping up his chest as I spoke. It came to a stop, cupped around the side of his neck.

“Hm,” he huffed, dragging his eyes back up to meet mine. They bored into mine intensely, filling my stomach with a swarm of butterflies. Perhaps Cornish pixies, given the ferocity.

The boy wouldn’t do what I wanted him to, so I did it for him. Pushing myself off the wall, I pressed my chest against his as my lips caught his. Immediately, Malfoy took a step forward, causing my back to hit the stone bricks once more. He was claiming dominance, though his lips never broke from mine.

Maybe making him jealous wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

My hand slithered over his shirt, coming to clasp the other behind his neck. They acted under their own mind, and before I knew it, my fingers were tangled in his hair. It was like my body knew how to react, my brain completely useless as it raced a billion kilometers an hour. I could feel Malfoy’s touch skimming up and down my side, groping roughly at my ribcage. It was quite definitely the most intense kiss we had ever shared. And I really liked it.

Malfoy’s teeth held my bottom lip hostage in a flash, tugging on it gently before releasing it. Sparks were sent throughout my body at the sensation, only muted when Malfoy soothed the feeling with a gentle kiss. My spine felt like it had been lit on fire, licking and nipping each vertebrae in a heated bite. The feeling carried out to each of my limbs, shooting through each nerve ending.

I felt like going limp in his arms when his mouth suddenly ghosted over my cheek, and down to my neck. Immediately, my lips parted in a breathy sigh and my head instinctively rolled to the right to give him more space. I couldn’t form a thought to save my life, I could really only feel in that moment.

He was so tender, showing a side of himself even I had never seen before. His forearm was peeled off the wall, his now free hand coming to cup the side of my neck he wasn’t dotting kisses against. I tried not to think about how natural he was with it. Then again, my head had turned without a conscious signal from my brain. We could just be that comfortable with one another.

A low, rumbling groan came from him, reverberating through his chest. It was like I could feel it against my own, soaking up any sounds he wanted to offer me. I felt like I was sweating, the corridor must’ve risen by at least ten degrees. My heart was pounding, thumping rather loudly against my ribs.

I don’t know exactly why, but I yelped in surprise when Malfoy’s mouth suddenly tugged at my skin. He immediately pulled back, his eyebrows slightly furrowed in a mix of confusion and worry. My hand came up to rest against my neck, my fingertips trailing over where his lips had just been.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked, his voice husky and almost groggy. He hadn’t, it was just the introduction of something new that had sent me over the edge. I shook my head, letting my hand fall away from my neck.

“Just surprised me, that’s all,” I shrugged, ignoring the pit of guiltiness in my stomach. I didn’t know how to describe it, but I felt weird that I had stopped him from doing whatever he was planning on doing. For all I know, it might’ve not even been guilt.

“Oh,” he responded, his gaze falling on my neck. I couldn’t see it, but the slightest tinge of red adorned my skin. “Well, I’ll just give you a hickey another time, yeah?”

My face flushed at his response, suddenly incredibly embarrassed. His lips were tugged into a smirk, and he leaned forward to press his lips against my forehead. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

I rolled my eyes at his teasing, feeling my body fill with the confidence I usually had. “You wish, Malfoy.”

My words had no effect on him, his lips still holding that smirk like always. I felt as his thumb brushed over my ribcage, his other fingers gripping tightly around the backside. “Still thinking about Potter?”

Smiling, I shook my head. “Not after that little stunt.”

Malfoy usually looked proud of himself, but now, it was over-the-top. His smirk grew larger, his eyes slightly crinkling as his lips morphed into a smile. Before I could say anything else, he leaned forward and pressed another kiss to my mouth.

I felt my eyelids flutter shut at his touch, and they remained closed after he pulled away. My body was filled with delirium, one that I only got from being around him.

“We should get back before Umbridge starts her patrol.”

I nodded, swallowing thickly to try and relieve the dryness of my mouth. Malfoy bent down to gather our things, holding my bag for me like he usually did. Extending his arm, he offered his hand to me and I gratefully took it. We left the corridor with slightly messed hair and our lips swollen.

The second Malfoy and I entered the common room, Blaise shot off the couch.

“Holy shit!”

I nearly jumped at his exclamation, watching as Blaise fell into a fit of laughter. Glancing up at Malfoy, I noticed his hair was more out of place than usual, even after a rigorous quidditch practice. Several strands were sticking out of place, his lips flushed a dark red.

And I’m sure I looked the exact same, given Blaise’s reaction. My eyes scoured the rest of the common room, but our other friends weren’t here. Why Blaise was in the common room by himself at this time, I had no idea. 

“Blaise-” Malfoy started, but he got interrupted. 

“Oh, this is new,” Blaise snorted, his gaze darting between Malfoy and I. Malfoy’s hand tightened around mine, sending Blaise a direct glare. Surprisingly, though, he didn’t say anything as Blaise sighed in amusement, gathering his things from the couch.

“I’ll let you two be,” he smirked, and then slunk away down the boy’s wing. My cheeks ran hot in embarrassment again, and I turned so I could bury my face into Malfoy’s chest. In a protective manner, his arms came to wrap around my shoulders, resting his chin on top of my head. Our bags swung with the movement, softly banging together behind my back. We stood like that for a few moments, just enough to let my heartbeat slow.

“There’s a Transfiguration assignment, isn’t there?” I murmured into him, my shoulders relaxing in a sigh. A chuckle ran past his heart and up into his throat.

“We better get started on it, yeah?” he muttered, giving my shoulders a squeeze before stepping backwards and letting me free from his cage. I nodded in agreement, spinning on my heel and dropping down on one of the couches. He followed suit moments later, and we began our studying.

We read in silence for nearly half an hour, trying to learn the background of the new spell McGonagall was teaching us. I laid with my back along the length of the cushions, my head resting on his thigh as he sat upright.

“I do have a better bum than Potter, don’t I?” he said, a tinge of uncertainty in his voice. I rested the spine of my textbook against my bent knees, tilting my head back so I could look up at him. He finally tore his gaze away from his copy, his hand stilling from where he had been twirling the ends of my hair around his finger.

He was just so cute, I got lost in his attractiveness for a moment. A moment too long, I suppose.

“Well?”

“I’d say so.”

\---

“Wands away!” Umbridge called, and I rolled my eyes. She had scheduled an exam for today’s class, but it was completely written. Even though Moody’s - well, Crouch’s - tests were hard, I never thought I’d see the day where I missed them more than anything. I still didn’t know what to call him, if I was going to be honest.

Her gaze flitted around the room, ensuring that each students’ wand was securely tucked away in their bags. Within a few seconds, everyone’s hands were clasped over the tables, waiting patiently for our next instruction. Malfoy’s knee was bouncing up and down, banging into mine every so often.

He never really was one to get stressed for tests, since a lot of the material came naturally to him. Umbridge’s way of giving examinations was particular to her, and was completely different from Lupin or Moody. I, on the other hand, didn’t give a rat’s arse about this class. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do after I graduated, but I could tell you now it wouldn’t be involving Defense Against the Dark Arts.

With a flick of her wand, Umbridge began to disperse the exam parchment to each table. The pink sheets floated down the aisle ways and came to a rest on top of the wood. Lupin used to give practical tests, ones where we would perform a spell of his choosing. So it was rather fun, studying for his tests. Might’ve accidentally sent a Freezing Charm towards Jack once or twice.

When the parchment landed in front of Malfoy, I heard him suck in a deep breath. His knee stilled, though he immediately hunched over the table. It was something that I had noticed he did when he was anxious, hiding his face from others around him. 

“You may start, Miss Wilkinson,” I heard Umbridge’s voice cut through the air. Malfoy glanced up as my gaze shifted from him to her. She was standing at the front of the room, holding her wand delicately in front of her waist. I hadn’t realized that the others in the class had started, I was too busy staring at Malfoy. Even Potter was scribbling something, and he was never one to jump head-first into a test.

Clearing my throat, I nodded my head and sat up straight in my chair. Her tests were fairly textbook, meaning that her questions were taken straight from the end of each chapter. Really, couldn’t the Ministry have provided someone better? With each passing day, I wondered how she passed Dark Arts herself. Maybe Hogwarts’ standards were lower back then.

Malfoy’s knee knocked against mine like it always did when he wanted to silently reassure me he was there. In the past, he usually did it under the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, but with everything that already happened this year, he seemed to save it for Dark Arts. I looked back down to my exam, grasping my quill tightly as I read through the first question.

For the entirety of the class, his knee never left mine.

When the bell tower finally rang, Umbridge collected the exams with another wave of her wand. I ducked underneath flying parchment as I left the classroom, Malfoy right behind me. Spending any more time in the class than needed was not in my interest.

“You know,” I heard Malfoy mumble as he came to walk alongside me. Our next class was Divination, so the long walk from the Dark Arts classroom gave us time to chat. “A Hogsmeade trip is coming up this weekend.”

I knew, Pansy hadn’t shut up about it for the past couple weeks. She was desperate to get off of Hogwarts’ grounds, claiming she wanted nothing more than a butterbeer while she was curled up with Liam. Part of me wanted another trip too, one that I could spend the entirety of with Malfoy. No Ivan, no D.A. meeting, no nothing.

“Oh, really?” I hummed, drawing my robes tighter across my body. The corridors held an odd chill currently, one that was much too cold for this early in the term. Malfoy chuckled from beside me, and I felt as his arm snaked around my shoulders.

“Wanna come with me?” he asked, his arm laying limp behind my neck as we walked up a staircase. I pretended to think about it, biting down on my bottom lip as I narrowed my eyes in thought. He scoffed, giving my upper arm a sharp squeeze. 

“Yes, of course I will,” I agreed through a laugh, weaseling my way out of his grip. He looked over at me with pure admiration in his eyes, though I was certain he would deny it if I ever mentioned it. A small smile laced his lips when I finally responded, any sign of that offended scoff completely gone. 

“Have you thought anymore about what you’re going to get me for Christmas?” he asked, completely blind to the fact that he question was a bit insensitive. I rolled my eyes as my feet carried me up the last few steps.

He hadn’t said anything yet, but Jack was right behind us. “Blimey, Malfoy. You can’t just say that.”

I laughed along with Jack, though Malfoy looked genuinely confused as his eyes darted back and forth between Jack and I. “Wha - why?” Oh, being rich must be so hard.

“Ruins the surprise, you git,” I chuckled, shrugging as I glanced over my shoulder for Jack’s confirmation. He nodded in agreement, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his robes. The three of us rounded a corner, taking us closer to the Divination classroom. Malfoy ended up splitting off for the restroom before class started, leaving Jack and I alone as we entered through the doors.

Trelawney had busied herself with rearranging a stack of cups in the front of the room, her back to the rest of the students. Since last class, she had brought in numerous cages that were scattered around the room. Some on extra tables, others sitting on the ground. All of them held various species of birds, and I could only imagine what Trelawney had in store. Most of the birds were calm, pecking away at pellets or sleeping.

“You thought about what to get him?” Jack asked as we weaved through the chairs and tables. I shook my head in response, slipping my bag off my shoulder as we approached our usual spot. Trelawney usually had groups of three situated around tables, and I had chosen to sit with both Malfoy and Jack this year. Blaise and Katie sat next to us with Goyle, and Liam, Pansy, and Crabbe sat to our left.

“Not at all. Honestly, what do you even get someone like him?” I sighed, collapsing down in the center chair. Jack frowned and raised his shoulders in a shrug, sitting down moments after I did. We continued to make small talk as we waited for Malfoy to return from the restroom, conversing with the others as well. I hated not being able to talk in Dark Arts, so I felt like we made up for it in Divination.

With less than a minute before the clock tower rang, Malfoy sat down next to me. He flicked his eyebrows up in a silent greeting, since Trelawney had already started speaking.

“We’ve finished Heptomology, yes?” she asked us, clutching her hands together tightly as her gaze skimmed over our faces. The students offered back a chorus of affirmations, and Trelawney nodded so hard, I wondered if she was convincing herself she had taught the subject.

I wasn’t in her class that had been evaluated by Umbridge, but I had heard it went terribly. Apparently, Umbridge had demanded that Trelawney stop lying to her students, and had made her read tea leaves under an immense amount of pressure. On top of that, Umbridge had rounded off the evaluation with a long speech about how the Ministry didn’t consider Divination to be a worthwhile subject. Rather harsh, but what else could you really expect from her.

“To continue on in your O.W.L. preparation, we’ll move onto the next chapter, yes?” Again, Trelawney was met with a mumble of “yes's” and nods. “Ornithomancy it is, then.”

My eyebrow raised at the introduction of a new topic, one that I had never heard of before. It seemed as though the boys hadn’t either, as Jack sat up at Trelawney’s words, and Malfoy crossed his arms over his chest.

“Katie, would you be a dear and inform the class about ornithomancy?” Trelawney turned her attention to Katie, who had a soft smile on her face. It seemed as though Trelawney was going through an identity crisis, even more so than usual. I felt bad for her, it was like she had lost all confidence in her ability to teach.

“It’s, like, reading omens from the actions of birds, right?” Katie partly guessed. Trelawney nodded, turning her back to us as she began to scribble on the chalkboard. She had assigned a chapter on the subject for us to read last week, but I had completely forgotten about it.

“What kinds of actions, please, Draco?” she asked with her back still facing towards us. Malfoy cleared his throat before he spoke, but he gave a perfect answer like always.

“Flight patterns, body language, singing, species. Things like that.”

“Very good,” she praised, and Malfoy huffed in satisfaction. She wasn’t one to repeatedly call on students, so he sat back in his chair. He was probably done for the rest of class.

“Olive, may you come up and be an example?” she asked, finally turning around. Her large eyes peered into mine, her lips tightly drawn together. Swallowing, I nodded as I stood. Being an ‘example’ in Divination was rarely a good thing. Still, I felt sympathy for her. It was the least I could do.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed the new cages around the classroom, yes?” she questioned once more. Her self-confidence was really down the drain.

“Yes, professor,” I agreed, my eyes flicking to a couple cages. From my basic knowledge of birds, I recognized a few types from my back garden in the summers, a couple species of owls, the basic raven. 

“Dear, if you would walk around to each cage. The rest of you, observe each bird’s body language as Olive passes by,” Trelawney instructed, and she grabbed my wrist suddenly. I nearly jumped at her touch, already on edge. The way an owl had stopped hooting and was staring directly at me was beginning to raise hairs on the back of my neck.

I didn’t get the chance to react any further when Trelawney placed a handful of pellets into my palm. She wrapped my fingers over them tightly, looking at my through her glasses. I gave her a gentle smile, but quickly turned on my heel. She gave me serious heebie-jeebies sometimes.

The owl began to hoot in a friendly manner as I passed by, clearly more interested in the pellets than me. I dropped a few through the metal bars of the cage, and it quickly quieted as I continued on my way. Slowly, I passed by each cage, sifting through the pellets absentmindedly with my free forefinger. 

The bright red feathers of a cardinal caught my eye and it hopped onto its perch, but he acted like every other normal bird. As it began to preen itself, I tore my gaze away as I looked to the next cage. A couple magpies were snuggled together, reminding me of the twins’ Patronuses. I nearly laughed, so I bit down on my lip to stifle any escaping giggles.

A few minutes later, I was reaching the end of the selection of birds. I felt quite odd, walking around the classroom silently as my peers stared between me and whatever bird I was passing by. Part of me was starting to disbelieve Trelawney’s claims. That is, until a particular bird let out the loudest, most forceful caw I had ever heard.

The noise sliced through the otherwise still air. It echoed between my ears, the frequency lowering with each iteration.

I flinched when it cawed again a moment later, a few pellets escaping my palm. They hurtled toward the ground, striking the stone and tumbling away from my feet. The bird only increased in sound, its wings flapping erratically and thrashing against the metal bars of its confinement. My lips parted in surprise, my feet backpedaling in an effort to take me away from the bird.

It was a blackbird, and though I didn’t know anything about it now, I was certain Trelawney would soon enlighten me. A murmur of whispers travelled from table to table, swirling around the room. I couldn’t see him, but Malfoy’s face was etched with worry as he peered over Katie’s head to get a better glimpse of me.

Helplessly, I looked frantically between the psychotic bird to Trelawney, whose eyes were the widest I had ever seen. I don’t even know if birds could get rabies, but it sure seemed like this one had it.

“Oh! Oh, no, no. Step away, Olive. Step away! Now, oh! No, no, no,” she began to talk hysterically like she tended to do, her voice becoming hoarse and raspy. Her gaze became focused on the blackbird, who had now started to snap its beak rather angrily at me. If anything was to be said about the bird’s body language, I’d say it was rather frightened. The conflicting rhythm of the bird’s snapping and Trelawney’s rambling was overwhelming, and I felt my heartbeat start to pick up.

Before I could even blink, Trelawney was holding my forearms firmly. So tightly, in fact, that I was shocked she had the ability given her age. My heart began to race, pounding tightly against my ribcage. There was a parallel between it and the bird, both turbulent in behavior. Just begging to be let out.

“A message for you, my dear,” Trelawney’s voice dropped, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. Malfoy shot out of his chair, his eyes watching us intently. His chair skittered across the floor behind him, the sheer force from the backs of his knees pushing it half a meter away. Katie and Blaise were at attention as well, Jack mirroring their positions. My blood began to pulse through the tiny vessels in my ears, muffling any sounds from the rest of the classroom. Not that there were any, anyways. 

I don’t know where I would’ve gone, but Trelawney’s grip prevented me from moving even a millimeter. All I could muster was an expression of absolute terror as she continued. Her jaw went lax, and the rational part of my brain asked how she could even speak. 

“The blackbird has been sent, the omen of death has been received. You hold the power of death in your hands, the blackbird has made certain you are aware. Take caution, Olive. You hold the power of death in your hands.”

And like nothing happened, Trelawney blinked and her eyes rolled back into place. Her grip lessened, her fingernails no longer digging through the material of my robes. And I was left for a loss for words. 

I had the power of death in my hands? What the literal, actual, bloody hell did that even mean? That I was going to kill someone? That someone would die because of actions I made?

My mind began spiraling, yanking any rational thought I had with it. I felt my knees go weak, my thighs suddenly shaking under the immense pressure my chest felt. I was going to pass out, I was so going to pass -

“What did we see, class? Any particular actions?” Trelawney asked in her normal voice, her thumbs gently soothing over the areas that she had previously assaulted. I’m sure she hadn’t realized, she tended to go under these possession moments.

The class was dead silent. 

So silent, in fact, that I’m certain you could hear a pin drop. Trelawney looked from table to table, her face hopeful for an answer. It took a few moments, but I finally dragged my gaze from where it had fallen to the ground, looking over at Malfoy. His eyes were wide, his lips parted as he stared back at me.

The words wouldn’t stop repeating in my head, no matter how hard I tried to quell them. 

**_You hold the power of death in your hands._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a.n. Hello hello hello!!!! Fall semester is OVER baby hell yes!! I totally got out of sync with writing, this chapter was pretty hard to write since I haven’t been in that flow for so long. Hopefully only a few chapters until I’m back into the game lol
> 
> also how the hell is christmas in 5 days like i totally thought it was like december 10 and like that'd be embarrassing as hell if i didn't get the christmas chapter out on christmas lmfao
> 
> I really wanted to get a chapter out on Friday, and then that turned into Saturday, and now it’s Sunday so lol bUT i think i feel a good ol writer’s block coming on (i think it’s because my brain has been completely wiped with finals so i can’t think a thought) so PLEASE let a girl know what small things you want to see in the next few chapters!!! Like filler-y stuff :)
> 
> EDIT: aYO I finally figured out how to bold/italicize stuff in HTML after only like 60 chaps you can call me a coder now


	61. chapter fifty-eight

“How about you, Margaret? What did you -” Trelawney started, her hand still holding onto my forearm. I was beginning to feel lightheaded, but I didn’t think I was going to faint. It was a different type of dizziness, like my mind was too overwhelmed. Words were racing around a track in my brain, lap after lap. Like a billion voices were talking at once.

“Professor, Wilk-” Malfoy cleared his throat and corrected himself. “Olive looks like she’s going to faint.” At the interruption, Trelawney’s head swiveled to face him. I followed her gaze, looking first to Malfoy, and then to Jack. They both had concern etched over their features, Jack’s knee propped up on his chair as he gripped the table tightly. Malfoy was standing, ignoring the stares from the rest of the class.

I felt Trelawney’s eyes land on my face, and her hands grip me tighter. “Oh, dear. She does, are you feeling okay, Olive?”

Even if I wanted to answer the batshit crazy lady, I didn’t get the chance. Malfoy spoke again as he started to walk towards us. “I’ll take her to Pomfrey,” he offered, and I let him take me from Trelawney’s grasp. Like I was made of rubber, I melted into his side as his arm slithered around my shoulders.

“I’ll go too, prefects and all that,” Jack piped up. He pushed the chair back in one fluid movement, away from the table. Before I could even blink, he was at my other side. One of his hands cupped my arm, and I found myself supported between the two boys.

“Jack, dear! I don’t think-” I heard Trelawney call, but her voice was faint as we were already out the door. She was only met with a curt response from Jack, thrown haphazardly over his shoulder as he helped to maneuver me out of the classroom.

The door to the Divination hallway swung shut behind us, and I felt like I could think straight again. I didn’t need to go the hospital wing, I was fine, everything was okay-

“I’m fine, I’m fine. No infirmary,” I muttered. My voice, albeit small, was enough to bring Malfoy and Jack to a halt. At some point during the small walk, Malfoy had slipped his hand down my back, and underneath my other arm. He was holding most of my weight, letting me lean into him. I don’t think Jack’s measly grip was doing anything at this point, other than giving him the reassurance that he was helping in some regard.

“You’re sure? You look white as a ghost,” Malfoy murmured. His hand skimmed down my back, coming to a rest on my waist as he stared down at me with furrowed eyebrows. Jack’s hold tightened just a bit and kept me upright. The two glanced at each other for a fleeting moment, and then back to me.

Physically, I really did feel fine. I just needed to think, and I couldn’t do that with Pomfrey fussing over me. Malfoy and Jack were already bad enough.

Swallowing the lump in my throat took a bit of effort, but I managed to do so anyway. I nodded rather frantically, like I was assuring both them and myself. “Just - need’a sit.” My knees began to buckle before I finished speaking, and Malfoy’s hands immediately gripped my waist to help slow the fall. I suppose I wasn’t _falling_ , per se, but I wasn’t exactly sitting eloquently. Within a second, Malfoy had sat me down on the stone floor. Jack stood above us, watching with that worried look in his eyes.

As I tried to slow my heartbeat, Malfoy and Jack sat down on either sides of me. Malfoy on my left, Jack on my right. The three of us were silent for a few moments. Nobody knew what to say.

_**You hold the power of death in your hands.** _

I hated it when I was scared. It was something about being vulnerable that ripped the ground out from underneath me, the fear of whatever pushing me backwards off the cliff, that I absolutely resented. I had felt exactly like this in those seconds after I found my parent’s bodies, just before I passed out. Only this time, I didn’t have the luxury of slipping into unconsciousness.

“Wh-What does it - it mean?” My voice was timid, the words tumbling over one another as they forced their way out of my mouth. I barely felt Malfoy’s hand envelop mine, intertwining our fingers prior to squeezing them lightly. Jack shifted on my other side, bringing his legs up to his chest. He balanced his forearms on his knees, his hands dangling limply. My mind raced for an answer, though it wasn’t the one I had expected.

His forearms. His left forearm, in particular. The one closest to me. The Dark Mark. _His_ Dark Mark.

It was my fault, wasn’t it? It might’ve not been the most obvious answer, but it was the best I had. At least right now.

A shaky gasp was yanked from my throat as the sudden realization hit me. Jack looked over at the noise, clearly confused until he noticed my eyes were firmly fixed on the sleeve of his robe. His lips parted, but I didn’t see them. I was too transfixed with the swirling ink just below the wool. 

“No. Olive, no. It’s not that, I swear-” Jack hurriedly tried to rush out an explanation, but his words weren’t registering in my mind. Malfoy had leaned forward, looking over me to see what all the ruckus was about.

“If you hadn’t - oh, God - if you hadn’t met me, then you wouldn’t have been in that whole mess with Ivan and me last year, you wouldn’t have gotten him disqualified - God, then there wouldn’t have been that goddamn replacement - you wouldn’t have been in the graveyard, you wouldn’t have gotten the Dark Mark,” I didn’t even know if Jack could even understand my rambling. It came out all in one breath anyways, my brain working faster than the muscles in my mouth.

Malfoy gripped my hand tighter, and the feeling brought me back to reality. Blinking, I looked from Jack’s forearm back up to his face. He almost looked sad, like he pitied me, maybe.

“Don’t you dare go telling yourself that, Olive,” he gently corrected, shaking his head. Unconsciously, his right hand came to tug the sleeve of his robes down further, concealing the entirety of his left arm. “Everything that has happened since we transferred was all my doing, you hear me? They were the consequences of my actions, not yours.”

The steadiness of Jack’s voice was enough to calm my mind and my heart. Slowly but surely, I began to feel the blood rush back up my neck, carrying my typical rational thought with it. 

“My-” Jack dropped to a whisper, his eyes darting around the empty hallway. “The Dark Mark is not your fault.” And, as always, he injected a bit of humor, in hopes to lighten the situation. “Besides, what good is an omen that’s half a year late?”

My hands stopped trembling, a shaky laugh escaping me as I nodded. He was right, but I still didn’t feel any better about what Trelawney had said. If it wasn’t about Jack’s Death Eater initiation, what was it?

“Trelawney’s certifiably crazy, you know that Wilkinson,” Malfoy said, and I dragged my eyes up from the stone to meet his. He offered me a small smile, though his eyebrows were still knitted together in concern. “Remember when she predicted everyone was going to fail that exam last year?”

“You got a ninety-five,” I grounded myself, picturing the memory in my mind. The entire class had looked at one another when Trelawney had started wailing about all her students failing. It had been a typical Thursday, until some Ravenclaw admitted not knowing the answer to a study question. In Trelawney’s mind, if a Ravenclaw didn’t know, the rest of us were undoubtedly doomed. A week later, though, Malfoy had received his high mark on the exam. I didn’t do so well, but that was beside the point.

“That’s right,” he responded smugly, causing Jack to roll his eyes. I gave another small chuckle, leaning my head against Malfoy’s shoulder. We sat in silence again, but not because no one knew what to say. We just wanted a moment of nothingness.

“It doesn’t mean anything, Olive,” Malfoy whispered a few minutes later, resting his chin on the top of my head. Jack quietly agreed, leaning back against the stone wall.

Another few moments were spent regathering ourselves, though I’m sure I was more of a wreck than the two of them. Nobody had left the classroom to check on us, which I was grateful for. We got more alone time that way.

All too soon, Malfoy was helping me up before we entered Divination again. Jack was already standing at the door, one hand shoved in his front trouser pocket as he waited for Malfoy and I. I missed it, making sure I wasn’t stepping on Malfoy’s robes as I stood, but the boys exchanged a small look of concern over my bent head.

Trelawney’s voice filled the air as soon as Jack pushed the door open. “-a dove! Oh, that’s quite beautiful, Pansy. Anyone could tell you that they signify love and peace.”

Of course Pansy got a fucking dove. I walked between Jack and Malfoy to our table, whispering a quick ‘I’m fine’ to Katie as I passed her. She gave me an empathetic smile, her eyes watching the three of us until we sat.

Pansy was standing at the front of the room alongside Trelawney. A white dove was nestled in her outstretched hand, cooing happily as she fed it pellets while she listened to Trelawney’s explanation. I rolled my eyes as Pansy shot Liam a sly grin, and Jack stifled a laugh beside me at my reaction.

Like he had in Dark Arts, Malfoy rested his knee against mine. The gesture was hidden by the tablecloth, but it soothed my nerves immensely. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I snuck a look at the blackbird. It was sitting on its perch, though its beady little eyes were boring back into mine.

A chill ran down my spine when it drew further into itself, hunkering away from the light of the classroom. Even still, it acted as though it was frightened of me. Like I was the one that would kill it.

“Katie! How about you, my dear?” Trelawney suggested as she took the dove from Pansy. My eyes followed Katie as she stood, meandering through the tables until her feet hit the floor where Trelawney was standing. A bluebird immediately began singing at Katie’s presence, and Trelawney seemed excited as she scuttled over to the cage.

Katie clasped her hands in front of her stomach, eyeing the bluebird as Trelawney let it hop onto her outstretched finger.

“Never have I had such an immediate reaction!” she praised, readjusting her glasses as she returned to Katie. The bluebird hopped onto Katie’s waiting hand and ruffled its feathers as it got comfortable.

“What do I -” Katie began, looking from the bird back to Trelawney. The professor’s spine immediately hunched over, her hands clasped tightly as she peered at Katie through her thick lenses.

“Are you anxious now, Katie? Any fears about current situations?” Trelawney started to bombard Katie with questions. If anything, the sudden verbal attack was making Katie nervous. “Tensions in friendships, perhaps?”

I almost missed it, but Katie’s eyes darted to Blaise. It was a fleeting moment, gone before I even registered it. He averted his gaze, finding the tablecloth that rested in his lap much more interesting.

“Well, I -” Katie started to offer some kind of an explanation, but she was interrupted.

“Never mind it, dear. Just know the bluebird sends an omen that calls for finding simplicity, and true happiness,” Trelawney brushed off her previous questions, the omen tumbling from her lips like she was reading from a book. It definitely wasn’t as freaky as mine had been, but Katie looked terrified.

Trelawney sent Katie back to her table and rounded off the class with a couple Ravenclaws receiving their messages. Lunch was right after divination, and given the bustling Great Hall, I couldn’t pull Katie aside to ask about her and Blaise.

\---

That night, I returned from studying with Malfoy to find Katie curled up over her sheets. Hesitantly, after dropping my things on my trunk, I crossed the dormitory and crawled in next to her side. Pansy was out, I assumed with Liam.

“Are you okay?” I whispered, feeling the need to match the dim atmosphere of our room. The sun had been down for a few hours, and Katie hadn’t brought herself to light the candles. A bit of illumination was offered by the moon, but it wasn’t much.

Sniffling, Katie only shook her head against her pillow. I sighed sadly, sitting up to try and find the blanket she always kept at the end of her bed. It had been kicked off, but I unfolded it with a snap of my wrists and covered her and I with it.

“What happened?” I murmured, rolling onto my back. Katie followed suit, the two of us barely fitting on the narrow width of the mattresses. I waited patiently and quietly, wanting to let her know I would listen to whatever she had to say.

“Blaise and I are just in a stupid fight,” she sighed, and I could hear her cross her arms over her chest. That’s why he had been alone in the common room the other day. I wasn’t the best at comforting people, but it was Katie, so I needed to at least try.

“D’you wanna talk ‘bout it?” I whispered, my eyes tracing the rectangle of the canopy above her bed.

“I’m sure it’ll get figured out. It’s just, well, he and I never fight,” she chuckled weakly. She was right, I couldn’t remember a time where the two were ever pissed at one another. I had always somewhat envied the two for it, on top of their natural affection they had.

Katie and I hadn’t talked like this in months. I hadn’t realized how much I had missed it until it was gone, honestly. The last half of fourth year was a blur with the tournament and Jack and everything, and then fifth year so far had been unbearable with Umbridge.

“I know you two will,” I reaffirmed what she said. “Besides, you two are like the prince and princess of Slytherin.” My phrasing was cheesy, yet Katie and I soon fell into a fit of giggles anyways. We could both sense the light sarcasm behind my words, but there was some truth to them. Nearly every Slytherin was jealous of the two. Even Pansy was, though she would never admit it.

“What?” Katie scoffed playfully, rolling her head to the left so she could look at me. “Are you kidding? Have you seen you and Malfoy?”

Although I was still laughing, I shook my head. “Malfoy and I fight all the time, it’s ridiculous,” I had underestimated how relieving it was to talk to someone else about Malfoy. Especially another girl that could understand how difficult boys were sometimes. Pansy just liked to pretend she never had problems. “Don’t you remember how much he flipped when I left my sweater at Ginny’s?”

At the mention of Ginny’s name, Katie raised an eyebrow. I quickly realized and corrected myself. “The Weasley’s, I mean.” I guess I couldn’t expect Katie to know all of their names.

“Oh, whatever. You two are, like, the most attractive couple in all of Hogwarts,” she complimented, her eyes scrunching up in happiness. It seemed like she was feeling better. “Hotter than Warrington and Poppy, and Warrington was total eye-candy.”

I laughed at her comparison, and the dormitory was soon filled with our uncontrollable giggles. It reminded me of sleepovers I had with my Muggle friends when I was younger. Staying up late talking about boys, being woken up with the smell of my father’s pancakes. The inevitable, explosive laughter when we said we were finally going to bed.

Every so often, I thought about what my life could’ve been like if I hadn’t transferred to Hogwarts. I wouldn’t have met Malfoy, or Jack, or Katie and the others. I would be back home, stressing about subjects like world history and chemistry. Nothing cool like Potions or Dark Arts. 

But I don’t think I would give this up for anything.

“Did you see Liam’s face when Trelawney mentioned the whole love thing? Scared shitless, lemme tell you,” Katie managed to say through laughter, and I felt another wave coming on. My abdominal muscles tensed up, just begging for a hit for oxygen to replenish the cells.

Within a second, the two of us were gasping for air. My legs were brought up to try and relieve the cramping of my stomach, and Katie rolled into my side. We continued to make jokes that built on top of one another until they were completely incoherent.

A few minutes later, we had finally calmed down. I was wiping at the tears that had formed in the corner of my eyes, letting out small, content sighs.

“I’m sure the blackbird omen isn’t anything to worry about,” Katie said seriously, propping herself up on one elbow so she could look at me. Her face held genuine concern as she convinced me of the same thing Malfoy and Jack tried to.

“Yeah, I hope so. Malfoy claimed she’s crazy,” I shrugged, taking a deep breath. I had to keep reminding myself that omens were nothing more than prophetic predictions. They could be good or bad, and although one about death was most definitely on the bad side, I couldn’t worry about something that may not even happen. It was a waste of time.

“She is crazy,” Katie affirmed, and the two of us started laughing again. I told her how Trelawney reminded me of Jack in his quidditch goggles, and that opened a whole new door of joking back and forth. 

Half an hour later, Pansy still hadn’t returned, and Katie and I were beginning to grow tired.

“Well, thank you for being there for me,” Katie said, giving me a smile. I nodded in agreement, echoing her gratitude. Assuring her once more that things between her and Blaise would be fine, I crawled into my bed after I changed.

We were long asleep by the time Pansy returned.

\---

The Hogsmeade trip was scheduled for Saturday afternoon, and I couldn’t be more excited. I nearly took a Sleeping Draught on Friday night just so I could go to bed at a reasonable hour. It would be, really, the first normal time with Malfoy. The dementors weren’t looking for Sirius Black anymore, Ivan was gone, the D.A. had been started. 

Simply put, I was looking forward to some quality time with my guy. School had picked up a bit after Halloween, and the looming threat of mid-year exams was growing. I still hadn’t figured out what to get Malfoy for Christmas, but I knew I couldn’t buy him anything in the village. The bastard would most definitely fight me to know what I got.

The stupid death omen still lurked in the back of my mind since Divination, but I had successfully repressed the memory. Sort of. The words still popped out every so often, though they were usually covered up by normal, day-to-day things. I hadn’t thought about it all Friday, so I was hoping for a break.

Pansy woke Katie and I up on Saturday morning with the promise of doing our hair. Things between Katie and Blaise had been worked out, and he had promised that they could stop into Madam Puddifoot’s during the visit. Pansy, once she received her love omen, was extremely excited for the trip. I guess her and Liam were getting rather serious, though I never really paid attention to them.

By the time lunch rolled around, Pansy had braided my hair out of my face, but left the rest hanging normally. Katie had hers in a long Dutch-style plait, draped over her shoulder as she rushed to find a cute outfit. I had been dressed for a bit, so I sat on my trunk as I watched the two scurry around. It reminded me of the afternoon before the Yule Ball. The sheer excitement we had in that moment, I hadn’t realized how much I missed it.

“I swear to Merlin, if Umbridge _ever_ cancels the Hogsmeade trips, I’ll drop out of the Inquisitorial Squad,” Pansy nearly shrieked as she pulled a sweater over her head. Katie paused from lacing up her boots, snorting in disbelief.

“Oh, as if! Once she gave you that stupid promotion, there’s no amount of galleons that would make you drop out,” Katie retorted, receiving a stuck-out tongue of offense from Pansy. I chuckled as the two started to bicker, though I eventually tuned them out as I laid back on my bed.

I truly did not know what to get Malfoy. For everyone else, I had had their gifts lined up since September. Malfoy just seemed like he had everything already. I don’t think I could handle the embarrassment of getting him something that he didn’t like. God, this was more effort than I had expected for it to be.

Aunt Beth still didn’t know we were dating, so I was at a loss there. Katie had offered a few suggestions the other night, but all of them felt so, well, un-Malfoy. If he only had a clue how difficult he was.

“Olive! We’re going!” I heard Pansy call from across the room, and I lifted my head off the mattress to see the two standing by the door. Slipping off my bed, I snatched my hat and gloves off my nightstand. It was a sunny day, but the absence of clouds brought a frigid chill. Nothing like a good ol’ November Hogsmeade trip.

The three of us walked down the hallway of the girl’s wing, hearing the boys before we saw them. Their voices carried down from the common room, Jack’s distinct laugh ringing through the air. When we finally entered, the boys stood from where they had been lounging on the couches. Pansy immediately scurried over to Liam, tucking herself under his arm as they started for the door.

“Jack!” I heard another girl’s voice from behind Katie and I, and it sounded like she was running down the hallway from her dormitory. Turning on my heel, I saw another fifth-year slip past us, a gigantic smile on her face as she skipped towards Jack. He was grinning as well, and welcomed her with a warm hug.

I don’t think I had ever talked to the girl, but I definitely recognized her from classes. Alexia, I think. No idea what her last name was.

“Looks like Jack’s got himself a date,” Katie snickered from my left, and both of our gazes fell on Alexia playfully teasing Jack about his scarf-tying job. I felt a small smile sneak onto my face as I watched them. He really did deserve someone to go out with, I’m sure he was fed up with always being the third-wheel. Or fifth. Seventh even, if Pansy and Liam were there.

“Looks like he does,” I agreed, my gaze never leaving them. Jack glanced over Alexia’s head for a brief moment, catching my eyes before looking back down. The two followed Pansy and Liam out of the common room, and Katie left to go join Blaise.

Malfoy hadn’t gotten up from the leather couch yet, his legs outstretched on the center table. He was wearing a rather-expensive looking fur coat, and I didn’t want to know what animal that came from. At least he wasn’t wearing that ridiculous fur hat he had taken a liking to in third year.

Katie was fixing Blaise’s collar by the door, and the others had already left. Smirking, I crossed the distance from the girl’s wing to the couch. Malfoy’s lips tugged up in a smirk of his own, leaning back into the cushions of the couch as I approached.

“You know, with the others all paired up, maybe we can go alone,” he proposed the second I came to a stop. My shins hit his elevated calves, and I looked down at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Maybe we can,” I agreed, holding out a hand. “But I’m hungry, let’s get lunch first-”

I was interrupted by Malfoy tugging me down on top of him. Given the sudden force, I clumsily tumbled into his lap. It was like he had predicted my every move, as his arms were immediately wrapped around my waist as I settled onto his thighs. I could only pray that Katie and Blaise had left by now.

“I’ve been wanting one of your kisses all morning,” he said, his voice low and husky. I watched as his eyes trailed over my lips, before he dragged them up to meet my gaze.

“What, couldn’t get one from Jack?” I teased, knowing the two still shared a room. Liam hadn’t budged at all, even with the Inquisitorial Squad.

“Not my type,” he murmured, peeling his back off the cushions so he could sit up straight. I hummed happily, leaning down to give him a small peck. He sighed in contentment, one hand skimmed down my side to rest on my hip.

I immediately melted into his grasp, just like I always did. My hands ran up and down the collar of his coat, the fur of whatever animal incredibly soft under my fingertips. Testingly, I let one slip under. I nearly gasped at the coolness of the silk lining, which no doubtedly kept him warm. Merlin, this boy had money.

“Satisfied?” I asked, dotting another couple against his lips. I finished with a quick one to the tip of his nose, and his face morphed into a smile at the feeling.

He nodded as he pulled his head away, giving me his signature lazy smirk. I chuckled as I fixed the collar I had mussed, straightening it out around his neck.

The walk to the Great Hall took twice as long, given the occasional dips down shadowed corridors to steal a few chaste kisses. By the time we arrived, the others were already halfway through lunch.

“Olive, right?” Alexia asked as Malfoy and I sat down across from her and Jack. I mustered a gentle smile, nodding as I shrugged off my coat. Malfoy took it, being the gentleman he usually was, and draped it over the bench between us.

“What’s your name, again?” I responded, reaching for an apple from the center of the table. Malfoy began to fill his plate with sandwiches beside me, looking from me to Alexia.

“Alexia,” she answered, though her smile faltered just a bit. “I’ve seen you in classes before, but it’s nice to meet you, meet you.” She laughed, causing Jack to chuckle a bit as well. I honestly didn’t know why, but there was a bit of tension in the air between the four of us. I doubted Malfoy even noticed as he was too engrossed with picking out the tomatoes in his sandwich.

“Ditto,” I said before I bit into the apple, the noise of the breaking skin crisp and loud. Alexia’s gaze shifted to Malfoy, her eyes dragging up and down his face. A flame of jealousy ignited inside me, deep in the pit of my stomach.

Jack had been listening to the small conversation, stirring his soup absentmindedly as he glanced between the three of us. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed at her staring, his eyes darting between Alexia and Malfoy.

“This is-”

“Draco, I know,” Alexia finished my introduction for me, her eyes sweeping over him once more. At the mention of his name, Malfoy looked up mid-chew and with raised eyebrows. He was quite booksmart, but God, did that boy miss social cues from time to time.

I didn’t like her, simple as that. Jack deserved someone nice and caring, and from the few minutes I had spent with Alexia, she wasn’t it. Especially with the whole Dark Mark thing, Jack needed someone understanding. And from the way Alexia was practically eye-fucking Malfoy, she had other intentions.

“You’re Alyssa?” he said after he swallowed, looking from me to her. I sucked my lips between my teeth to keep the smile from spreading. Malfoy knew her name was Alexia.

She straightened her spine, both her wrists resting on the edge of the table. “Alexia, actu-”

“Same thing,” Malfoy shrugged, returning to his sandwich. She pursed her lips at his response, and I could tell she was refraining herself from saying anything else. When the muscles in my face got to be too much, I raised my napkin up as if to stifle a cough and grinned like a mad man behind it.

“Oh, be nicer, would you?” I pretended to scold him, swatting at his thigh. I didn’t have to look at Alexia to see her narrowed eyes and lips pressed tightly against one another. Without a second thought, I leaned into Malfoy and pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek.

“Can’t expect me to know everyone,” he played along, dragging out the last word in a sarcastic whine. The two of us chuckled, and I patted his thigh as I returned to my apple. Malfoy took another bite of his lunch and let his knee knock into mine. Alexia kept her glare on him until Jack asked her a question about her family, and the two fell into a conversation of their own.

A few minutes later, after ensuring Alexia’s attention was completely taken by Jack, Malfoy leaned over. “Simmons picked a good one,” he whispered lowly, his lips brushing against my ear. I hid another laugh behind my napkin, looking at Malfoy out of the corner of my eye.

Lunch was soon over. Jack had introduced Alexia to the rest of the friend group, but she only offered small waves and smiles in greeting. They led the others out of the Great Hall as we left for Hogsmeade. Malfoy and I brought up the rear, our arms continuously bumping into one another as we walked so close.

“What kind of animal is that, anyway?” I questioned as we left Hogwarts’ grounds. The sudden chill in the air bit at our faces, causing us to hide whatever we could underneath the collars of our coats. Malfoy looked over at me, but I could only see his eyes and the upper part of his nose.

“Fawn,” he responded simply, shrugging as if it was no big deal. I stopped dead in my tracks, my mouth open behind my coat.

“You’re shitting me, Malfoy. That’s inhumane!” I scoffed, my eyes trailing over the fur. He only laughed, shaking his head.

“Pulling your leg. I dunno what it is, my father got it for me this summer,” he explained, and it was like I could feel my heartbeat slowing. Even imagining the murder of baby deer was enough for me to head back to the castle.

Rolling my eyes at his small prank, I skipped to catch up with him again. “You’re mean.”

“I recall you calling me insufferable once,” he countered, and I raised an eyebrow. “After your potion exploded, back in third year.”

Ah, that explosion. “You were insufferable,” I retorted, bumping into his side on purpose. He stumbled a few steps at the contact, but quickly recovered. With a quick glance, I saw that the rest of the Slytherin group was still ahead of us. Most of the Gryffindor house was walking behind.

“You should’ve just listened to me,” he scoffed, shaking his head. “Then the whole thing wouldn’t have blown up.”

“You should’ve saved your apple for after the tutoring session,” I suppose we were fighting, but it was nothing serious. Bantering, perhaps. “And swallow before you talk.”

“It was a banana,” Of course he remembered what exact fruit he had been eating.

I groaned in exasperation. “Well, take that banana and shove it up your white-”

“Miss Wilkinson,” I heard Snape’s voice from behind us, and I immediately shut myself up. I swear, that man was like a hawk. Appeared out of nowhere, sometimes. Malfoy let out a snicker, though it was replaced with a scowl when a young Gryffindor accidentally ran into him. We had stopped in the middle of the pathway, after all.

“You two, meeting tonight in the Potions classroom. Same time,” Snape muttered, his eyes sweeping the crowd around us. No one was paying attention, probably just figuring Slytherin’s Head of House wanted to talk to his students. He hadn’t mentioned Jack, though. But Snape was gone before I could even open my mouth.

“Hm,” Malfoy huffed, watching as Snape’s robes flew open behind him as he stormed up the pathway. A few Ravenclaws split away for him, allowing Snape to walk down the middle of the cobblestone.

“No Jack?” I asked as we turned, joining the flow of students. If I squinted, I could see Jack and the others at the entrance to the village.

“S’pose not,” Malfoy shrugged, sliding his hands into the pockets of his coat. I frowned in thought, but the two of us continued on our way. Granted, we hadn’t had many meetings with Snape, but I had expected them all to involve the three of us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y’all when I was writing part of this it was snowing outside, and like lemme tell you, so magical
> 
> I hope you all are having a good break (hopefully you’re on some sort of one)!! I’ve been relaxing myself lolol, watching hella Criminal Minds and Schitt’s Creek and that’s pretty much it. Pls rec me good shows to watch!! I have a pretty short attention span so I either need hot actors, good plot or short episodes lmfao


	62. chapter fifty-nine

**MALFOY’S POINT-OF-VIEW**

Sharing a dormitory with Simmons wasn’t the worst.

Besides the wet towels on the floor and the mess of clothes at the end of his bed every so often, he was actually rather clean. A bit annoying in the mornings, though.

I had trouble sleeping Friday night. For some reason, my stomach was filled with butterflies at the sheer thought of going to Hogsmeade with Wilkinson. I suppose I usually had that feeling around her, but it was only amplified at the notion of a real date. Studying in the library managed to satisfy the need to be by her side, but it always revolved around some sort of stress. Transfiguration homework, Potions essays, whatever. So I had been looking forward to Saturday for days.

Wilkinson’s omen had freaked me out, simply put. It was like a rock was overturned in the pit of my stomach. A whole new bunch of nerves was released, although I didn’t think I would never not have that around her. I worried more about her than I did myself anyways.

When she was a frantic mess in that hallway outside Divination, Merlin, did my heart hurt. I hated not being able to give her a real answer, though I knew the three of us would settle on false hope. There was no way Trelawney’s warning hadn’t been real. It was just a matter of what it meant.

And I much as I wanted to give Wilkinson an explanation, I couldn’t.

Simmons was just as worried about her as I was. I suppose things between him and I had mellowed out after last summer. He wasn’t as annoying as I remembered him being, and it seemed like he had nothing more to hide from the others.

“Merlin, you’ll never guess who I asked to Hogsmeade,” Simmons interrupted my train of thought, and I glanced over. He was somewhat making his bed, which he claimed to be simply putting the pillows back that he had knocked off overnight. With the plop of his last pillow, he launched himself onto his back and leaned against the headboard.

“Who?” I asked, looking back to where I had been rummaging through my dresser. The prefect rooms were a bit larger than the normal dormitories, but things were still cramped with the two of us in here. My father had sent another trunk filled with clothes a few weeks back, so my tall wardrobe was beginning to fill. Mum sent along a box of chocolates inside, wishing me a belated happy Halloween.

“That Alexia girl. You know, that other fifth year Slytherin?” he continued, though Simmons’ voice felt distant in my head. I was a bit groggy from my lack of sleep last night.

“Her?” I frowned once I realized who he was talking about. I remembered her; she had been more irritating than Pansy back in first year. Even stole that, albeit ridiculous, cone hat off my head at the end-of-year feast. Didn’t leave me alone all second year, either. Surprisingly, she had been fairly reserved after Wilkinson transferred into Hogwarts. Not that I was keeping tabs on her, but I think she had started dating some Ravenclaw at one point.

“Yeah, figured I need someone to keep up with all of you,” Simmons chuckled, stretching his arms out over the side of the bed. I finally found my fur coat and slipped it off the clothes hanger, tossing it on my bed. My father had gotten it for me over the summer, claiming I needed a new one since I was still growing. It wasn’t like I had fifteen others in my closet at home.

“S’pose so,” I shrugged, a small chuckle escaping my mouth. This should be interesting.

Simmons left for a quick shower, leaving me alone in the dormitory. I let my mind wander as I began to clean up the mess I had made during the week. Bending down to pick up a pair of trousers, Wilkinson slipped back to the forefront of my mind. She was often there anyways, even if she didn’t know it.

A large part of me wanted to believe that she had been right, when she connected the dots between the omen and Simmons’ Dark Mark. If that was it, then we could seal the omen up and never think about it again. Sure, it was the easy way out, but I don’t think any of us would complain about it.

The rational part of me knew that wasn’t it, though. Everything about Trelawney in that moment had been terrifying. The rolling back of her eyes, her raspy voice, the way she was gripping onto Wilkinson for dear life. I had winced when she grasped her forearms, knowing that her cuts from Umbridge’s detentions were relatively recent. Wilkinson had claimed that they were healed, and I had made sure myself, ignoring her grumbling. But even still, the force that old woman put into her grip had to have hurt.

I just didn’t know anything. And I hated that the most.

“C’mon, mate. Katie wants to meet in the common room for lunch before,” Simmons said as he entered the dormitory, and I was ripped from my thoughts once more. I mumbled a small acknowledgement, turning my back to him as I rifled through my nightstand drawer. After I found my wallet, I slipped it into the pocket of my coat and Simmons and I were out the door.

As always, the girls were late. Simmons struck up a conversation with Blaise and Goyle, but I tuned them out as I sat on the couch. Even with the raging fire, the common room was still cold. Winter wasn’t my favorite season, but it was bearable when it snowed. The bitter frostiness of the air was the worst.

I had been staring into the fireplace when Wilkinson appeared in the doorway, Pansy and Katie in tow. Pansy immediately left for Liam, but Katie and Wilkinson stood together.

“Jack!” I recognized Alexia’s voice before she entered the common room. The shrillness of it echoed through the hallway, indicating her approach. She shot me a look before she passed by Wilkinson and Katie, but she turned for Simmons a moment later. Wilkinson began whispering with Katie, the two huddled together as they eyed Alexia. I couldn’t help but notice the tense expression that Wilkinson’s face held, her eyes narrowed.

Merlin, she was hot.

Katie gave Wilkinson once last laugh before she joined Blaise, and the others filed out of the common room. Wilkinson gave me a smirk as she approached the couches, and an identical one washed over my face.

“You know, with the others all paired up, maybe we can go alone,” I proposed when she finally stopped, her shins pushing up against my legs. There was no maybe about it, I would drag her away from the rest if that meant we could get some time alone. She arched her eyebrow, her lips slightly parting.

“Maybe we can,” she agreed, though I knew she would certainly spell the others away if necessary. One of the things I liked best about her. “But I’m hungry, let’s get lunch first-”

It was like my hormones took over the decision-making part of my brain when she extended her hand. Without a second thought, I tugged Wilkinson down on top of me. Given the positioning of her legs, combined with mine, she should land-

 _Perfectly_. I thought to myself, wrapping my arms around her waist the moment she was sat on my lap. Both of her legs were draped to my right, just like I had guessed. Even on a typical Saturday morning, she looked absolutely ethereal. Pansy, I assumed, must’ve done something with Wilkinson’s hair, as it was pulled back away from her face. The rest was laying over her shoulders, and I hummed happily as I leaned back into the couch cushions.

I let my eyes skim over her face as she recollected herself from the sudden tumble. “I’ve been wanting one of your kisses all morning,” I murmured, my voice lower than I had expected for it to be. My eyes glazed over her lips, but I forced myself to look back up.

“What, couldn’t get one from Jack?” Merlin, this woman.

“Not my type,” I muttered as I sat up straight. If she wasn’t going to, I would. Before I got the chance to make a move, Wilkinson leaned her head down to give me a small peck. Her lips were gone much too soon, though.

I sighed in contentment anyways, pleased that I received one of her kisses. My hand trailed down her side to come to a rest on her hip. I loved when she wore her normal clothing, even if she looked smoking in her Hogwarts uniform.

It was like her body went lax in my arms. I could feel her spine relax, her arms drooping from around my neck and resting on my shoulders. She broke her hands’ hold on one another, letting them fall down around my neck. I’m sure the fur felt wonderful under her fingertips. It was a rather expensive coat, after all.

My breath hitched in my throat as she teasingly slipped one hand under the collar, just below my collarbone. The things she did to me, dear Merlin. I let my eyelids fall shut as she pressed another round of kisses onto my mouth, lightly gripping her side. We could just skip out on Hogsmeade altogether.

“Satisfied?” Wilkinson asked, pulling away for a brief second. My eyes opened again, staring back at her lazily. She giggled and leaned forward, catching the tip of my nose in another kiss. I nodded, a smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth. My thumb swiped back and forth over her hipbone as she fixed my collar. Her hands ran smoothly over the fur a few times, making sure all the hairs went the same way.

Maybe I could get her a fur coat for Christmas.

She tugged me into the dungeons, though I pulled her away for another few kisses. They were just too intoxicating to miss out on. Granted, the walk to the Great Hall took a while, but each second was worth it. Sandwiches and soups could wait.

When we arrived at the Slytherin table, the others were already halfway through their food. I let Wilkinson pick which side, following behind her like a lost puppy. Slipping off my coat, I draped it over my arm before I sat down.

“Olive, right?” Alexia asked, giving Wilkinson a fake smile. Oh, if only I could dump a bowl of soup on her head. As an additional up-yours, I politely took Wilkinson’s coat from her, laying it down between us on the bench. Not that I typically wouldn’t, but I just wanted to rub it in Alexia’s face.

Wilkinson nodded, and I felt her thigh press up against mine. “What’s your name, again?” she asked, snatching an apple from the center of the table. I was still listening, but I began to fill my plate with a couple sandwiches. Hogwarts had a good variety, honestly.

“Alexia. I’ve seen you in classes before, but it’s nice to meet you, meet you,” Alexia laughed, but it bounced right off the growing tension in the middle of the table. Wilkinson shifted stiffly beside me, a clear tell that she was irritated. She tended to do that in Dark Arts whenever Umbridge looked in her direction. I bit down on my lip to keep a smile from forming, but I hoped it came across as me focusing on picking the tomatoes out. Disgusting.

“Ditto,” Wilkinson responded simply, and I heard the sound of her biting into her apple. Hm, maybe an apple would be nice to balance out the bread-

“Draco, I know,” Alexia’s voice caught my attention, and I stopped chewing the bite I had just taken. Wilkinson had stopped moving from next to me, which meant she was past irritated. I swallowed as I looked from Wilkinson to Alexia.

“You’re Alyssa?” I asked, just to spite the bitch. Her face faltered at my intentional mix-up, but she quickly gathered herself. 

Alexia sat up straighter, leaning into the table. Towards me, I noticed. “Alexia, actu-”

“Same thing.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Wilkinson raise a napkin to her mouth, most likely to hide a snicker. I felt one coming on as well, so I took another bite.

“Oh, be nicer, would you?” Wilkinson scoffed, and her hand swatted my thigh a moment later. Maybe we really should skip Hogsmeade. 

I snuck a quick glance at Alexia, who looked absolutely furious. Simmons was looking between the three of us, and I think the realization suddenly hit for him. Good luck with the next few hours, mate.

Wilkinson’s hand came to rest on my leg, balancing herself as she leaned into my side. She pressed a quick kiss to my cheek, and I felt her lips curling up into a smile before she pulled away.

“Can’t expect me to know everyone,” I shot back, though I made sure my tone was playful. I was picking up what Wilkinson was laying down. She smirked as she returned to her apple, and I let Alexia leave my mind. Resting my knee against Wilkinson’s, I continued my way through my sandwich. When Simmons had successfully trapped Alexia in a meaningless conversation, I leaned over.

“Simmons picked a good one,” I chuckled lowly into WIlkinson’s ear. She snickered, though she kept her napkin in front of her mouth like she had earlier.

The rest of lunch went fairly quickly, and I managed to get down three sandwiches by the time the bell tower rung. Wilkinson and I walked behind the others, which allowed us to talk freely without fear of being overheard.

“What kind of animal is that, anyway?” she asked as we descended down the pathway. I hopped over a loose brick, not wanting to slip and fall. Looking over at her once I was sure-footed, I felt my heart tug at the sight. She was bundled up under the collar of her jacket, only her eyes peeking out from under her hat.

I never said our conversations that were feared to be overheard were secretive. But I lied anyways, just to joke around. “Fawn.”

Wilkinson came to a dead stop beside me, letting her coat fall down to expose her wide-open mouth. I took a few more steps before I noticed, but I eventually halted as well. “You’re shitting me, Malfoy. That’s inhumane!”

Maybe I couldn’t get her a fur coat for Christmas.

“Pulling your leg,” I admitted, and I could visibly see Wilkinson’s shoulders relax in relief. She tucked her chin back into her coat, protecting her face from the nippy air. “I dunno what it is, my father got it for me this summer.”

“You’re mean,” she retorted, but she skipped to catch up with me. We continued down the path, returning to our synchronous paces.

“I recall you calling me insufferable once,” I reminded. “After your potion exploded, back in third year.”

The explosion that had been partially my fault, but I still blamed her bad hearing. Besides, it wasn’t detrimental to her marks, anyways. “You were insufferable,” she snorted, bumping into my side. I stumbled a few steps at the contact, but quickly regained my balance. Technically, I had told her the right ingredient.

“You should’ve just listened to me,” I shook my head. “Then the whole thing wouldn’t have blown up.” And we wouldn’t have spent time together cleaning it up. 

“You should’ve saved your apple for after the tutoring session. And swallow before you talk,” she countered, looking over at me with narrowed eyes. I still caught the playful glint, which assured me she wasn’t mad. Bantering back and forth with her was one of my favorite things to do.

“It was a banana,” I shot back immediately, a smirk on my lips since I knew I was right.

Wilkinson only offered an exasperated groan in response. “Well,” she paused, clearly racking her mind for the right comeback. “Take that banana and shove it up your white-”

“Miss Wilkinson,” Snape’s distinct tone came from behind us, and Wilkinson stopped talking. The two of us came to a halt, turning around to face him. I hadn’t even heard him approach, if I was being honest. With the sudden roadblock we had created, a small Gryffindor bumped into my side. I scowled at the boy without a second thought, sending him scurrying off to join his friends. He was wearing his robes, clearly a third-year on his first visit.

“You two, meeting tonight in the Potions classroom. Same time,” Snape muttered, looking down the hill past us. Before I could ask about Simmons, Snape sent me a warning look and was gone with a twirl of his robes. 

“Hm,” I huffed, a bit confused. I hadn’t expected Snape to split us up. Part of me wondered if my father was involved.

“No Jack?” Wilkinson asked as we turned back around, joining the flow of students.

“S’pose not,” I answered her with a shrug. It wasn’t the best explanation I could offer, but it was something. She went quiet for a few moments, probably thinking.

The rest of the walk to the village was rather quiet, though the group of Ravenclaws behind us wouldn’t shut up. I could see Wilkinson grow frustrated with not being able to think clearly, so I sent a hard glare over my shoulder. The Ravenclaw girls quieted after that.

Hogsmeade had been decorated for the Christmas season, even though it was still a couple weeks away. Holly-filled wreaths hung on the doors, candles illuminated the windowsills. Garlands were wrapped around the light posts with tinsel intertwined with them.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” Wilkinson asked me as we entered the gates, her eyes sweeping over the main street. I agreed, bumping our upper arms together as we started towards the Three Broomsticks. I wasn’t sure where the others had gone, Snape had held us back for too long. 

The pub was already bustling with professors and students alike by the time we approached. I reached around Wilkinson, grabbing the door handle and pulling it open for the two of us. She slipped through swiftly, and I followed right behind. With the advantage of my height, I saw an empty table among the crowd. Placing a hand on her back, I guided Wilkinson towards the back corner.

She waved a small hello to a few other Slytherins as we passed and my chest involuntarily tightened when we shuffled past Ron. I couldn’t help but be jealous and on edge around the Weasleys, but I couldn’t do anything. That stupid piggie swear that Wilkinson talked me into. 

A couple moments later, I had hung both our coats on the rack at the end of a booth and we were sitting across from one another. Hopefully, given the combination of the coziness of the booth and being in the back corner, the others wouldn’t see us if they came in. I ordered us a couple butterbeers as Wilkinson took off her hat and gloves.

Once the glasses were sitting in front of us, Wilkinson leaned back into the worn-out cushion of the booth and propped her feet up beside my lap. “You got any more stories?” she asked as she raised the glass to her lips, taking a small sip.

As I pondered for a second, I followed suit. I hadn’t realized it, but I was left with a foamy upper lip that made Wilkinson giggle. I raised an eyebrow at her sudden laughter, narrowing my eyes in suspicion when she didn’t answer immediately. She motioned towards her mouth and I quickly caught on, wiping my lips with the back of my hand. I felt my cheeks flush in embarrassment, but it was gone with a shake of my head.

“Stories?” I parroted, trying to buy myself some more time to sift through my brain for a good one. She merely nodded, taking another sip of her butterbeer as she eyed me over the rim. Merlin, I couldn’t think straight with her looking at me like that. And what made matters worse was that she had no idea.

Sighing, I set the glass back down on the table and began to fiddle with the coaster. I spun it around, watching as the handle of the glass rotated. “Did I ever tell you about the time I found out Goyle could read?”

Her mouth dropped open in sheer confusion, her furrowed eyebrows pairing perfectly. “What the hell do you mean, _could read_?” she scoffed, resting the glass on the table.

“When I was looking for him in second year, I think, he was wearing glasses,” I started to explain, and Wilkinson frowned in thought. “Said he was reading.”

“How the hell did you think he got into Hogwarts? Surely they couldn’t admit someone who couldn’t read,” she laughed, shaking her head. The noise was contagious, and I soon found myself snickering as well.

“I swear to Merlin, I had to explain everything to him our first year!” I retorted, scrambling for a reasonable excuse. “I honestly thought he couldn’t read.”

“You’re stupid,” she muttered, a smile still dancing on her lips. I rolled my eyes, kicking her shin gently under the table.

“He’s never worn glasses since, which is weird too,” I thought out loud. She arched an eyebrow, though she reached for her butterbeer again.

“I’m kind’a sad I wasn’t here for first and second year,” she sighed sadly, curling her fingers around the glass. Not that I would ever admit it, but I had thought about that, too. What things would’ve been like if we had known each other that young, how the following years would’ve laid out. If she would’ve still liked me the way she does now, if I could’ve taken her to the Yule Ball.

And the one thing I could never get out of my mind: if her parents would still be alive.

“I was a real asshole the first two years, you would’a hated me,” I chuckled, resting my knee against hers. She shifted in her seat, slumping down so her knee could reach mine more naturally.

“I recall you being an asshole in third year, too. And fourth, and fifth-”

“Okay, okay. I got it,” I groaned, regretting having said that. But she still had a smile on her face, watching me as her fingertips tapped against the half-empty glass. “I didn’t mean half of what I said, you know that right?”

“Mhm,” she rolled her eyes, looking down into her butterbeer. I hoped she was pretending to be annoyed, but I figured that what I had said probably wasn’t the best. Especially about her parents, which had earned me a well-deserved punch. The small smirk still stayed on her lips, and she glanced back up at me.

I caught Madam Rosmerta’s attention as she walked by, and I quickly flicked my gaze from hers to Wilkinson’s half-empty mug. She nodded and spun on her heel, returning to the bar. I was still at a loss for words, my brain not giving me what I wanted to say to Wilkinson.

“Can we go to the quill shop? I need more parchment for mid-year exams,” she suddenly changed the subject. I agreed rather eagerly, just wanting to make her happy.

Rosmerta returned to the edge of the table with another butterbeer, sliding it across the wood towards Wilkinson’s. “Tab?” she asked me, and I nodded. My father kept an open one for me, and paid it off monthly. You could imagine the trouble I got into when Crabbe accidentally ordered hundreds of galleons worth of goods over the course of third year.

Wilkinson waited until Rosmerta was out of earshot. “I’m not even done with this one yet, Malfoy!”

I smirked, shrugging as I tilted the glass into my mouth and swallowed the rest of my butterbeer. “Mine, then.”

She only rolled her eyes again, but let me slide the new mug over to my side of the table. Once I finished this glass, even though she helped out by taking a couple gulps, we were back onto the cobblestone street.

Before we were too far away from the Three Broomsticks, I slipped my gloved hand into hers, intertwining our fingers the best I could. She looked down at the contact, though a smile spread over her face as she immediately snuggled her way into my arm. I let Wilkinson lead me towards the quill shop, chuckling at her excitement of the snowman outside the door.

She shook her hand from me as soon as we entered, pulling her hat off as she meandered her way through the display stands. It was like she had forgotten I was with her, she was too hellbent on finding the right weight of parchment. I watched her from the front of the shop, a small smile on my lips. She looked beautiful.

“Found it!” she called, holding up a roll in the air. The shop owner glanced up at her voice, raising an eyebrow at her excitement. I shot him a glare, though I don’t think he saw it as he became engaged with another student.

“Right weight?” I asked as I approached, my eyes scanning over the wall of parchment rolls. The O.W.L.s were required to be written on standardized parchment, something about grading afterwards. Even though we weren’t taking the exams just yet, the professors wanted the mid-year exams to be as close as possible. 

The stress was already building on students. Snape had promised an exam that was twice as hard as the mid-year one last year. Flitwick was having us perform ten charms rather than the usual six. Even Sinistra, who never did much for mid-year exams, was reducing her leniency for testing and required a late-night session to use the telescopes. 

“Yup,” Wilkinson nodded, gathering a few more in the crook of her arm. I took a handful myself, knowing I would need them as well. Her gaze danced along the shelves of quills, and I noticed her eyes lingering on the boxes of white quills. I already had a couple in the bottom drawer of my dresser, waiting to be wrapped up for her. Her teeth came to gnaw on her bottom lip, telling me she was thinking.

We milled around the quill shop a bit more, just to pass time. I ended up carrying all of our rolls of parchment, holding them all tightly to my chest in order not to drop them. Wilkinson skipped around in front of me and stopped at a tester sheet.

“Look,” she smirked, yanking the example quill out of the inkpot. It was a basic black feathered quill, one that was fairly cheap. I readjusted my grip on the rolls as I peered over her shoulder.

“‘ _M and W_ ’,” she murmured as she wrote, finishing off the letters with a heart around them. I chuckled as she accidentally rested the tip of the quill against the parchment as she twisted her neck around to look up at me. The excess ink inevitably seeped into the fibers, bleeding into the heart. She really couldn’t write with a normal quill.

“Who’s ‘M’?” I teased her, earning myself a gentle jab in the stomach from her elbow. She pushed herself up onto her feet, pressing a quick kiss on my jaw. My heart leapt at the contact and sent my nerves into a frenzy. She was gone too soon, a scoff leaving her mouth as she turned back to the parchment.

With her movement, the quill’s tip had been drilled deeper into the sheet and the ink blot had spread out further. Wilkinson whined at the discovery, angrily jabbing the quill back into the pot. I shifted the rolls into one arm, my now free hand coming to rest on her back. “That quill sucks.”

I laughed at her immaturity, beginning to rub circles into her back. “C’mon, let’s go pay.”

“That clothing shop after, then,” Wilkinson ordered, a small scowl on her face as she let me lead her away from the sample stand. I muttered a small agreement, approaching the cashier. The same man from earlier looked wary of Wilkinson as she came to a stop beside me, but she immediately became distracted by the small trinkets they kept at the counter. Honestly, I don’t know what the man expected on a Hogwarts weekend. I suppose quill shops were rather boring, but I didn’t like the way he had glared at her earlier.

“Just these,” I said curtly, dropping down the numerous rolls of parchment onto the counter. Wilkinson looked up at my announcement, starting to dig in her pockets for her wallet. Without looking at her, I pushed at her upper arm, forcing her away from the till.

“You can’t pay for all of them,” she protested, her hands swatting at my arm. I ignored it, flicking my eyebrows up at the cashier when it didn’t start ringing the rolls up. Merlin, he was slow. “Malfoy!”

Wilkinson’s second attempt to sway my decision was similarly disregarded. I couldn’t look at her, I knew I would give into those eyes of hers. She groaned in exasperation, and I silently urged the cashier to start.

“Who’s paying?” he asked, rather stupidly. I rolled my eyes, my lips parting in disbelief. It was like he was asking to get fired. Still, Wilkinson and I answered him simultaneously.

“Me!”

“Me, she doesn’t have any money.”

Given my longer response, the cashier looked from her to me. I heard her huff beside me, but the parchment rolls were slowly rung up. One after another, the cashier dropped them in a bag. Wilkinson muttered small profanities and retorts under her breath from beside me, her arms crossed over her chest as she glared a hole into the side of my face.

A few minutes later, I had paid the total and we were back out the door. I gripped the bag tightly, holding it out of her reach. She claimed that if I had paid for it, then she should hold the bag, at the very least. Like I was going to let her do that.

We bickered back and forth about where to go next, ending up in that clothing and goods shop. It mostly sold Hogwarts uniforms, given the proximity to the school. There had been numerous times where Crabbe and Goyle had purchased new shirts in order to avoid doing laundry.

I followed Wilkinson around the store, not really paying attention to the men’s selection of clothing. My mother still liked to shop for me, choosing to go to elitist shops in London. I just wore what she bought.

Simmons and Alexia were in the opposite corner, Alexia holding up bowtie after bowtie under Simmons’ chin. I caught his eye for a brief moment, and he sent me a rather spent look. Guess he figured out just how annoying she was. Smirking, I looked back down to Wilkinson when I accidentally bumped into her. She had paused, her gaze skimming over a selection of schoolbags.

A second later, she continued on her way, her fingertips trickling over the various fabrics that hung off a rack. I trailed behind her like I had been, but I snuck a quick glance at the leather bag in particular she had been looking at.

A fur coat wouldn’t do, but maybe that would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I’ve asked about this in the past, but I really would appreciate it if you guys could do me a solid and describe how you picture olive (hair color, skin tone, body type, legit whatever you can think of) in the comments :) pls be as descriptive as possible, you’ll see what I mean next chapter lolol thank you!!
> 
> Also this is very late in the game, but I’m at a comPLETE loss about what Olive would get Malfoy for a Christmas gift lmfao so pls pls pls give me suggestions


	63. fyi!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!! I just wanted to update really quickly and let you all know that since writing/editing the chapter is taking way longer than I expected + normal family events and stuff, the chapter will probably be up either this evening (I'm in PST) or possibly tomorrow (though I'm really hoping I'll have it up sometime today). But keep an eye out, I have a couple things that I can't wait to share with you all. :)

I hope you're having a great day wherever you are in the world!!


	64. chapter sixty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for 30k hits!! also pls check out the picture i've attached :)

The meeting with Snape after the Hogsmeade visit hadn’t been as bad as I had expected it to be. We didn’t practice defensive spells or anything of the sort. Hell, Snape took us directly to his office after the three of us met in the potions classroom. Maybe it had nothing to do with Snape’s mentoring, but perhaps discussion of the recent Potions exam. Or Snape was planning to ask us about assisting next autumn’s first-years. I had been doing extremely well in Potions, anyways. And Malfoy was the little Potions nerd he always had been.

I was sitting down across from Snape’s desk, Malfoy standing behind me like he had back in third year. Though, this time, both his hands were naturally resting on the top of the chair behind my head. There was less awkward tension in the room, even with Snape’s stern gaze.

“Why isn’t Simmons here?” Malfoy asked the question that had been on both our minds since Snape stopped us on the pathway hours ago. Tentatively, I crossed one leg over the other as I waited for Snape’s response.

“No need,” Snape said simply, which only turned the yellow flags inside me red. Arching an eyebrow, I leaned against the cushion of the armchair and crossed my arms over my chest. My shoulderblade gently trapped Malfoy’s fingers beneath, but he made no notion to move. Instead, he adjusted his stance so he was nearly bending over me and I felt his thumb brush back and forth against my back comfortingly.

The three of us sat in silence for a few moments, Snape’s eyes darting between the two of us. I could tell there was something he had to say, it was a matter of how to phrase it. “The rest of this meeting is to stay between us three, is that clear?”

Immediately, Malfoy nodded, but I was a bit more hesitant with giving Snape my acknowledgement. It really was odd, that Jack wasn’t with us. Once he had Malfoy’s confirmation, Snape looked to me for mine. I bit down on my lip and gave him a curt nod.

“There is a curse, one that I think you two should know,” Snape said, dropping his gaze to his desk. I shifted in my seat, straightening my spine as I waited for him to continue. Whatever this curse was, it didn’t seem to be one that Malfoy and I could find in our Dark Arts textbook. At least not in the fifth-year curriculum.

I could hear the leather squeaking under Malfoy’s tightening grip, indicating he was just as anxious as I was. “Under no circumstances should this curse be used without thought or serious intent,” Snape’s eyes flicked from me to Malfoy. My own widened, suddenly very wary of this curse. “It causes deep lacerations and horrendous hemorrhaging, ones that can be fatal without immediate medical attention. The seriousness of the cutting is in direct correlation with the strength of the intent behind your incantation.”

Why the _shit_ was Snape telling us this. And why couldn’t Jack be here for it? The three of us were all looking to Snape as a mentor of sorts, or so I thought. Snape continued anyway. “You will not be practicing this spell on one another like you do with Simmons. I do not want to busy myself with the disposal of a dead body,” Snape said rather simply, and I felt my breath hitch in my throat. It sounded like a washed out Killing Curse.

“What’s the curse?” Malfoy asked from above me, and I twisted my neck to look up at him for a brief second. His eyebrows were furrowed in a mixture of concern, confusion, and the slightest twinge of interest.

I had seen it earlier, when we entered, that Snape’s wand was resting on his desk. He glanced over at it without moving his head, and then looked back at Malfoy and I. “ _Sectumsempra_.”

\---

Mid-year exams were quite possibly the worst things to ever happen. I suppose they covered less material than final exams, but it was still a pain to study so intensely right before the holidays. Katie had gleefully agreed to my proposal of a gift exchange. I think she had a similar idea up her sleeve, anyways. I had finally gotten my list of presents all squared away, though I was waiting on a few by owl. Aunt Beth was supposed to send along some homemade sweets as well.

Malfoy’s gift had taken ages to figure out. I had talked myself into this grand, unwanted present weeks ago, and now it was a matter of successfully delivering it. He had tried to whine and say he didn’t need anything, but I could tell he was just being polite. The boy liked getting things.

The other’s gifts had come rather naturally, much more so than I had expected. All I had to do was get through studying and testing, and then I would be set free for a few weeks.

“What did Snape say again? The Invigoration Draught or the Deflating Draught?” I asked, my fingers flipping through the pages of my Potions textbook. Snape had hinted towards a handful of potions that he was expecting us to brew during the exam, as well as in-class essays and such.

“We haven’t learned the Deflating Draught yet, Wilkinson,” Malfoy reminded gently, his eyes glancing up at me from where he was hunched over a sheet of parchment. He started to twirl his quill around in his fingers as he sat back. I groaned at my mistake, leaning forward and resting my face flat on the open pages. We had been studying Potions for hours, and I think I was beginning to lose it.

“Is Potions even applicable in real life?” I muttered, my words slightly muffled from the textbook. Malfoy chuckled from across the table, extending one leg and nudging my shin with his foot. I looked up at the gesture, stacking my fists on my book and resting my chin on top.

“For a Potions master, it is,” he said slyly, and I rolled my eyes. I swear, he had barely studied since we set foot in the library. Everything came so naturally to him, and I was starting to understand the jealousy that others had of him.

“I’ll tell you what, I’m not being a bloody Potions master after we graduate,” I scoffed, flattening out my hands and turning my head. Pressing my cheek to the back of my hand, I gazed out the window. It was snowing like it usually did in December, small snowdrifts forming on the windowsill outside. Given the early sunsets, it had long been dark since we had eaten dinner hours ago.

I heard Malfoy continue his scribbling, the scratching of the tip of his quill echoing through the quiet corner of the library. Damn him for being so smart. I felt like I deserved a small study break, so I let my mind wander as my eyes followed individual snowflakes down from the sky.

Like the others, I was taking the Express back the day after our last mid-year exam. Aunt Beth had a few days off work, and she had promised that we could do something relaxing. She hadn’t said anything about any other break-ins, and I hadn’t told her the extent of Umbridge’s detention. I had been planning to, but I figured that telling her over owl wasn’t the best idea. I was actually picturing the lecture I was sure to receive.

My cuts from the detentions had healed, though they scarred just like I had expected. The line on the back of my hand was a bit more mangled, more white given the intensive repetition over the few nights spent with Umbridge. On my arm, the word was still readable, but I hoped the scars would lighten with some salve. I knew Aunt Beth would flip when she found out, I just prayed she wouldn’t do anything stupid at the Ministry.

Part of me wanted to invite Malfoy home for Christmas break. From what I had gathered, his Christmas breaks at the manor were rather boring, and he counted down the days until he could return to Hogwarts again. I didn’t want to intervene between he and his parents, though.

I snuck a quick glance at Malfoy as I thought about him. A strand of hair had fallen out of his gel, dangling over his forehead as he focused. The tip of his tongue was trapped between his teeth, eyebrows slightly furrowed as he glanced between his sheet of parchment and the textbook.

The whole piggie swear thing really had him nervous, though I suppose it was in a somewhat good way. He had left the Weasleys alone since that day weeks ago, even though his version of leaving them alone was pretending they didn’t exist. Couldn’t talk to them then and slip up on the swear, I guess.

Potter (though I really think Hermione had a say) had paused the D.A. meetings for all of December, claiming time would be better spent studying for mid-year exams. Even Snape had slowed the mentoring as well, dropping the sessions down to once a week. We had moved onto harder hex deflection, which was going about as well as you would expect. None of us could get the hang of one deflection spell in particular, and Snape wasn’t afraid to hex us.

I was just so ready to do absolutely nothing for a few weeks.

Malfoy cleared his throat from across the table, breaking me from the little trance I had been in. Looking back at him, I saw he had busied himself with reading through a table of ingredients. I sat back up, rubbing my eyes as I refocused my attention on the Invigoration Draught. Malfoy was probably going to win the marks competition this year.

Thirty minutes later, my eyelids were beginning to feel heavy and my mind was clouded over. The Potions exam was tomorrow, though, so I felt the need to cram. Snape meant serious business this term.

“You okay?” Malfoy asked as I yawned, watching my hand come up to cover my mouth. I nodded silently, my eyes squeezing shut as I rode the yawn out. He raised an eyebrow in suspicion, starting to twirl his quill again. The wheels in his mind were turning, I just knew it.

“You don’t look okay,” he commented. I rolled my eyes at the conclusion he had made.

“Thanks, handsome,” I scoffed sarcastically, narrowing my eyes in a playful manner.

He sat quietly for a few seconds, his eyes darting from my face down to our books. “Study break, let’s go,” Malfoy said suddenly, his gaze snapping back up to meet mine. My lips parted, and I knew he was already expecting my opposition. “Yes, Wilkinson.”

“Potions is tomorrow! We have to study, you know that,” I countered, watching helplessly as he stood. Merlin, I sounded like Hermione. His quill was swiftly forgotten on the table, and he extended one hand out. “Did you just forget that I was going to study for a potion we haven’t even learned yet?”

“That’s precisely why you need a break,” he retorted, shaking his hand in the air impatiently. I sighed, looking back down at my open textbook and messy notes. Malfoy was right, and he knew it. I couldn’t get anything else done, especially with the brain fog I was currently experiencing.

“Fine. But you bring me back as soon as possible, Mr. Malfoy,” I pretended to scold as I stood up, letting him take my hand in his. Malfoy chuckled at the professional use of his name. “You will not be the reason I fail this exam.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he shot back immediately, like he had the response already up his sleeve. With a gentle tug of my hand, he pulled me into his chest. I hummed happily as I stared up into his eyes, feeling oddly warmed by the iciness they held.

“What’s this study break consist of?” I murmured, weaseling my hand out of his grip before I placed both of mine against his chest. He was wearing his quidditch sweater like he usually did on study nights, so my fingertips trailed over the direction of the threads.

A gentle sigh left his lips as he stared down at me, and I felt one of his hands come up to cup my cheek. His eyes swept over my face, his fingertips trailing behind in what felt like a line of fire. Malfoy tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear, letting his touch skim down my hairline. “Get your coat. And hat and gloves.”

With that, he bent his neck so he could plant a quick kiss on my lips. During this time of year, you couldn’t catch Slytherins without those three things, especially out of the dormitories. The walk from anywhere to the dungeons was brutally frigid, even with classrooms and the Great Hall being heated.

I nodded obediently, sending him a quick smile before turning on my heel to grab my things. When I looked back, he was shrugging on that fur coat after he had slipped on some leather gloves. He was expensive-looking, if I had to describe him. But he was my expensive-looking guy.

Surely, Malfoy wouldn’t have us walk to Hogsmeade this late at night. It was already past midnight, which was hours past Umbridge’s instated curfew. Not that she would be upset if she found us, anyways. With Malfoy on my arm, she had no leverage and I wasn’t hesitant to use it to my advantage.

I threaded my arm through his as we left the library, not having to worry about catching the eye of Madam Pince. She was certainly back in her quarters at this time of night. Given Malfoy’s longer legs, I nearly had to jog to keep up with him. A simple walk around the grounds should clear my head, I suppose.

He led us down the twists and turns of the hallways and corridors, nearly leading us back to the dungeons. Just where he was going, I had no idea. What had begun as a slow and steady walk turned into a brisk and quick one, making me jog every few strides.

Filch, I presumed, had decorated the hallways for Christmas, like they had for the Yule Ball. More candles had been spelled to hover high, garlands were draped across the stone walls. Even festive streetlights had been brought in, standing tall and bright at each corner.

“Where are you going?” I asked as he took another right turn. God, I never remembered Hogwarts having this many corners. Malfoy glanced down at me out of the corner of his eye, a small smirk playing on his lips. We hadn’t seen any other students or professors our entire way. Hogwarts was like a deserted town.

“You’ll see,” he responded simply, and kept up his pace. I started to grumble under my breath, becoming rather annoyed at the near-exercise.

I never really did think about the distance between the library and the quad, but that’s where we ended up a few minutes of walking later. Malfoy had come to a stop at the edge of the grass, causing me to halt beside him as well. So this is what that little bugger had in mind.

“Miss Wilkinson,” Malfoy said from above me, and I looked up to see him turn on his heel and extend his other hand out to me. “Dance with me.”

There was no question about it, no inflection in his voice. He had made the assumption that I would accept, and he was right. The prior annoyance melted into giddiness, and I immediately took my hand from my pocket and placed it into his.

“Quite the study break, Mr. Malfoy,” I teased as I let him lead me into the middle of the quad. Snow crunched under our feet, my footprints somewhat following his backtracking ones. It was still snowing, though it was much lighter than what it had been like an hour ago. Large, fluffy flakes drifted down and settled into his hair.

He didn’t say anything, rather smiling at me as he pulled me into his chest again. A small giggle escaped my lips as I stumbled towards Malfoy, my left hand finding its place on his shoulder. Instinctively, his right landed on my waist. Over the past year, he had grown in confidence and he now gripped it a bit tighter.

Pure warmth filled my body, lighting every nerve ending. I beamed up at him, taking in the way the snowflakes had started to rest on his hair and eyelashes. He was incredibly handsome, and he was _mine_.

I let him take the lead like he had in the greenhouse, dipping our clasped hands slightly downwards as we began to turn in slow circles.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, his eyes sweeping over my face. A blush snuck its way onto my cheeks, spreading over my nose as I dropped my head into his chest. Even still, he filled my stomach with a billion butterflies. At the gesture, I heard a low, rumbling chuckle from deep inside his chest, and I felt his lips peck the top of my head a moment later.

“Why is it that,” Malfoy stepped away, and spun me around with a quick twist of his wrist. “We only dance when it’s snowing?”

I gasped at the sudden spin, though I twirled on my heel instinctively. “And no music, either.” I responded as I faced him again, clutching onto his shoulder.

“Maybe we have lost it,” Malfoy chuckled, referring to the comment Jack had made so many weeks ago.

“Maybe so,” I whispered. We fell into another comfortable silence, and I took the opportunity to rest my cheek against his chest. I still didn’t know what kind of animal the fur came from, but Christ, was it soft.

After a few minutes of quiet, Malfoy spoke. He had pulled me as far into him as he could, his hand circling my waist and now resting on my back. “Cold?”

Snickering, I shook my head, my cheek brushing against his coat. “Not at all.”

“Sure?”

“Yes, you git,” I raised my head, looking up at him. Malfoy had genuine concern etched onto his face, which was now nipped a gentle red. The tip of his nose was flushed, and spread out to his temples. Perfectly adorable, I’d say.

He huffed in thought, shaking his hand from mine. I let it fall away, cupping my newly-free one on the other side of his neck. Malfoy wrapped his arms around my upper back in order to tug off his glove, the gesture preventing me from slipping out of his hold. When his hand was bare, he pressed the back of his fingers to my forehead, and then flipped it around a moment later.

“I’m fine, Malfoy!” I said through a laugh, swatting his incessant hands away. With now both gloves pinned between his teeth, he held my face in his hands as he checked my temperature once more. It was like this maternal protectiveness washed over him, still fighting my flailing hands to ensure I wasn’t burning up.

If I had been cold earlier, I certainly wasn’t now with all this scuffle.

“C’mere,” Malfoy mumbled through his gloves, opening his coat and pulling me into it. I was immediately enveloped in both his warmth and the smell of his cologne. He rested his chin on my head as he pulled the gloves out of his mouth and wrapped his arms around my back tightly.

I was like a ragdoll, letting him tug me wherever he wanted me. I didn’t mind though. With the largest smile on my face, I nuzzled my face into his sweater, snaking my hands around his torso underneath his coat.

He continued to sway us back and forth, shielding me from the snowfall. Pretty nice study break, if I say so myself. I’m not sure how long we were out there for, but it was long enough for his hair to accumulate a good amount of snow. When I finally pulled away, I looked up at him like I was in a drunken stupor.

At some point, the moisture in the air had started to curl his hair. Like it had been in the greenhouse a year ago, his typically straight hair fell in waves around his face, though he kept brushing them back with his fingers.

“My fav’rite,” I murmured as I reached up slowly, tucking a strand in particular behind his ear. He watched me with undivided attention, his blue eyes darting back and forth between my two. I slipped my other hand around his neck, locking him into me as I pushed myself up on the balls of my feet. “Wavy hair Malfoy.”

He rolled his eyes at my observation, his hand coming to try and flatten it out. I knocked it away, leaning against him to balance myself. It took a few moments of our hands play-fighting with one another, but I eventually got his to rest on my back again.

The quad had been completely blanketed in snow, the green grass no longer visible. Even our footprints from the edge of the yard were partially covered.

I pressed my lips against his in a testing kiss, both our eyes fluttering shut at the contact. He hummed quietly, bringing one hand to hold the back of my head as I caught his bottom lip between my teeth. It had felt good when he had done it to me, so I figured it was a two-way street.

Malfoy let out a breathy sigh at the sensation, so I made sure to bite down gently for a few more moments until I felt it was too awkward to continue doing so. I let it go before planting another kiss on him, feeling the way his lips had curved into a smile.

One of my hands skimmed down his chest, coming to grab at his side in an effort to pull him impossibly closer to me. I just wanted to melt into him, be at his complete disposal.

“I will not be giving you a hickey in the middle of the quad for everyone to see,” Malfoy whispered, but I could hear the restraint in his voice. I suppose I could tip him over the edge he was so obviously teetering on, but I liked having something to look forward to.

“Fine,” I sighed in fake despair, dropping my lips down to his jaw. I let them ghost over his skin, peppering kisses every so often. It wasn’t until I had dropped back down onto my heels that my mouth was aligned with his collar. When I pressed a few lingering kisses to his neck, it was like I could hear his stoic backbone cracking.

Before I knew it, Malfoy’s hand was around the back of my neck, pulling me away from him. “None of that, Wilkinson,” he muttered lowly, though his eyes were still lustfully skimming over my face. I flicked my eyebrows up in an exasperated manner, taking a few steps backwards. His hand fell away and I turned on my heel. In order to keep my spreading smile contained, I bit down hard on my lip as I kept my back to him.

I knelt down in a snowbank, not caring if my jeans were going to be soaked in a minute. Malfoy groaned behind me, and I could envision him running a hand over his face like he always did when he regretted something. “Wilkinson, I didn’t mean to be so-”

Just like I expected, Malfoy had started for me with an excuse for his actions. Quickly, I twirled around and packed the handful of snow I had just scooped a bit tighter. In a flash, the snowball was hurled at Malfoy and it hit him directly in the face. The early-season snow was light and powdery so the ball exploded the instant it made contact.

Gleefully, I laughed as I started to backpedal away from him, holding my hands out in protection. Malfoy used his sleeve to rid his face from any leftover snowflakes, his eyes narrowing playfully as he scoured out my next move. Before I could take another step, he had bent and gathered a handful of snow and was packing it rather menacingly.

“You wouldn’t dare,” I tried to reason with him, but any chance of saving my ass was so far out the window, I couldn’t even see it. With a squeal, I turned away from the incoming snowball, but it still hit my shoulder.

“What was that, Wilkinson?” Malfoy played along, already handling another snowball. He tossed it up in the air intimidatingly, taking a few steps closer to me. Our laughs rang through the otherwise empty quad, bouncing off the walls of the castle.

“I’m your girlfriend, you prick! You wouldn’t hurt me,” I sneered, though I had scooped up more snow as well. We were even in the ammunition department, it was now a waiting game of who was to fire first.

Malfoy shook his head, continuing to trudge through the snow. Too close, I finally decided, as I hurled my ready-made snowball towards his head. I tried my best to duck behind a snowman that some other student had made earlier, but Malfoy nailed me in the side before I made it. My legs, now feeling weak with the continuous laughter, simply couldn’t support me anymore and I dropped down into the snow.

At my withdrawal, Malfoy jumped over a few snowbanks to my side, collapsing down beside me. His chest was heaving with the effort, but maybe more so because of the sheer weight of his coat. I rolled over once he joined me, shoving a handful of snow into his hair.

Before he could get up, I was already a couple meters away, uncontrollable giggles leaving my mouth. I don’t know where he came from, but he suddenly had an arm around my waist. I was held above the ground for a split second, before the two of us fell back into the snow. He had the largest smile on his face, his shoulders shaking in laughter.

My mother used to say her favorite sound in the world was my father’s laugh. Which had confused eight-year-old me, whose favorite sound was obviously the ice cream truck coming around the corner. I had never really understood her claim.

But _God_ , I could listen to Malfoy’s laugh for every second of every day.

It was the most child-like, most carefree I had ever seen him. Besides the smile lines, his skin was completely wrinkle-free and his eyes were scrunched up in pure delight. Malfoy just looked so _content_ , so happy.

We laid side by side in the snow for a few moments, letting the other regather themself from the sudden exertion. Our breaths came out in visible puffs, intermingling with the other atoms in the air before they dissipated. He had rubbed a handful of snow into my splayed hair as well, claiming that it was payback when I gasped.

We never really saw them, given all the laughing and the dancing and the snowball-throwing, but the stars twinkled like diamonds that night.

\---

“Go! Go, go, go! Dammit, Blaise! Just say the password, mate, he’s right on our ass!”

I heard Jack’s voice long before the common room door even opened. Katie and I were sitting on one of the couches by the fire, sipping hot chocolate from mugs she had brought from home. At the sudden exclamations, Katie glanced over my shoulder just in time to see the door pushed open so ferociously, I’m surprised it didn’t fall off the hinges.

Jack was barely gripping onto something box-like as Blaise slammed the door shut. The two, who were breathing like they had just run a marathon, looked over at us as they gasped for air. I snuck a glance at Katie, who, with an eyebrow raised and her fingers curled around the mug, looked like an impatient mother.

“Stole Filch’s phonograph,” Jack explained through a held breath, his shoulders drawn high as he bent over to rest his hands on his knee. Katie and I sighed in realization, returning to our conversation about cats. She had said her parents were planning on getting her one for Christmas, since she now shared the family owl with her brother.

“A solid black one would be so cute, I think. Who cares about superstitions, anyways? I am a witch, so it’s a proper fit,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes as she took a sip of her hot chocolate. I nodded along, agreeing with her. Jack and Blaise entered the corner of my vision, plopping the phonograph down on the table. I guess Blaise had a few Christmas records in his dormitory, but he needed a record player.

As the boys were fiddling with setting it up, Katie slipped off the couch to join them.

“Malfoy up yet?” Jack asked over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow towards me. I shook my head and stood from my spot on the couch. “Could you go get him? Blaise needs my help.”

“No, I don’t!” Blaise retorted, scoffing as he looked to Katie for moral support. A small smile danced on her lips as she rubbed his back comfortingly. Jack smirked, but handed me the key to his and Malfoy’s dormitory. The professors had kept the original keys and locks to the student’s rooms, something about privacy. They were also protected from the unlocking charm, so if you lost your key, good luck.

“I’ll be right back,” I promised the three, clasping my mug a bit tighter as I scooted around them. As I was walking towards the boy’s wing, I could hear Jack and Blaise start to bicker about the placement of the needle. Jack kept his key on a simple piece of string, which I twirled around my finger as I found his and Malfoy’s room. The prefects lived closest to the common room, so my walk wasn’t that far.

I knocked quietly when I finally found their room, pressing my ear to the door moments later. There wasn’t any scuffling inside so Malfoy still must’ve been sleeping. With a quick twist of the doorknob, I slipped into the dormitory. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as messy as I had expected it to be.

As I had predicted, Jack’s side was a bit more chaotic than Malfoy’s, who had everything squared away in its spot. Speaking of Malfoy, he was still under his duvet, and I could hear the small snores all the way from the doorway. Carefully, I placed my mug on top of Jack’s dresser, which was nearest the door, and tiptoed over to Malfoy’s bed.

He was sprawled out on his back, one forearm thrown over his face to shield his eyes from the morning sun. I let my gaze trail up his body as I clutched the bed’s bottom right poster, coming to a stop on the top of his head. Resting my cheek against the wood, I felt a small smile tug at my mouth.

“Merry Christmas, Wilkinson,” he murmured, and I nearly jumped back into the hallway. A smart smirk replaced his parted lips, though he kept his arm over his face. “Are you just going to stand there?”

Rolling my eyes, I let go of the wood poster and placed one tentative knee on his bed. At the dip of the mattress, he shifted, pushing his chest out as he readjusted himself. His arm was now extended towards me, and I took it as a sign to crawl up the length of him and cuddle into his chest.

“Merry Christmas, Malfoy,” I whispered as soon as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders. I looked up at him, but he still had his eyes closed to match his shallow breathing. “C’mon, the others are in the common room already.”

“Five more minutes,” he sighed, and before I knew it, he had somehow tugged his sheets up and over me. There was no way he did that without a little magic. I was suddenly enveloped in a rush of warmth, spreading up my body as I nuzzled into his chest.

Even this early in the morning, Malfoy looked incredibly attractive. Quite honestly, it was unfair. It was so peaceful, laying with him-

“Get that hot choc’late from the dresser,” he mumbled beside me, interrupting my train of thought. I craned my neck back to see his eyes were still closed. An exasperated huff left my nose, and he added another word on. “Please.”

“How’d you even know,” I muttered as I slipped out of the warmth of his bed, and padded across the dormitory to Jack’s dresser. It wasn’t like I wasn’t going to get it for him.

“All you drink,” Malfoy answered quickly, a smirk on his face as I returned. When I was close, he let his eyelids flutter open and I was met with the very drowsy, bleary eyes of his. Shuffling up his bed, he leaned against the headboard as he reached out for the mug. I gave it to him as I sat down next to his side.

He took a few sips before pushing the mug back into my hand. Malfoy’s wavy hair was attractive, sure, but good lord, his hair in the morning was impeccable. Sticking out all different directions, his front pieces nearly perpendicular to his head given the way he preferred to sleep.

Malfoy pressed a quick kiss to my forehead before he swung his legs out of bed, stretching as he walked towards his dresser. As I watched him rifle through his top drawer for a sweater, I brought the mug to my lips, only to realize that he had downed the rest of my hot chocolate. Scoffing, I rolled my eyes and set the now-empty mug on his nightstand and tugged his sheets up and over my body. They were different from the school-regulated ones, a bit softer and silkier.

He escaped to the bathroom, mumbling something about his hair as he left. Something about seeing him like this, so discombobulated in the morning, was extremely domestic. And I had surprised myself for even envisioning that. Waking up with him, making breakfast, things of that sort.

I bit down on my lip as he returned, one hand running its fingers through his hair as he tossed his sleeping shirt onto his trunk. The stress from mid-year exams was gone, there was no need for styled hair and crisp collars. So he was dressed in a normal jumper, which I swear made his shoulders look even more broad than they actually were. God, I wanted to jump his bones.

“You said they were waiting, right?” he asked, and my mind was suddenly torn from where I had been imagining teaching Malfoy how to use a stove. Part of me assumed he didn’t know how, with his house elves and all that.

Blinking, I nodded as I forced myself to escape from the warmth haven I had been in. His sheets were oddly cozy. Grabbing the mug, I crossed the dormitory and slipped under his waiting arm. The two of us entered the common room where the others were still working on the phonograph.

“I just don’t see why you had to take his in particular,” Katie said, shaking her head as she reached over Blaise’s shoulder to grab the needle. Malfoy and I sat down on one of the couches, his arm laid along the top of the cushion behind me. I shifted my position once he was settled so I was tucked under his arm and into his chest.

“What’re they doing?” Malfoy murmured into my hair, his arm now bent at the elbow and holding the back of my head. I explained the whole theft and escape, to which he chuckled. It took a few more minutes of fiddling and bickering, but eventually, some old-time British singer’s voice filled the common room. The record skipped a bit the first couple rounds, causing us to snicker, but it settled out.

“Gifts!” Katie exclaimed as she clambered over Blaise, sprawling herself over the floor as she reached under the tree. Slytherin students had decorated it a few weeks ago, and someone had even put Santa Claus hats on the skulls that were littered about the common room. Jack messed around with the volume of the player, finally settling on a low-enough frequency that we could still talk and be heard.

The five of us slipped off the couches, circling around the center table in front of the fire. Katie dispersed her gifts around to the four of us, a wide smile on her face as she waited for our reactions. She was extremely thoughtful in her gifts, even giving Malfoy a moving figurine of some player from a professional quidditch team. Blaise showered her with kisses after he opened his, the two giggling. Their laughter was contagious, and we all found ourselves in stitches as Blaise tried the “Grow-a-Beard” cream that Katie had gotten him as a gag gift. Hair began to sprout around his jawline, and he was left with a solid amount of stubble a few minutes later.

Jack was next, passing his boxes around the table. He pushed my two across the wood, and I caught them before friction brought it to a stop. Shaking one against my ear playfully, I raised an eyebrow at the rattling sound. Jack bit down on his lip as he watched me open the other, practically bouncing in excitement.

One box held a brand new pair of dragonskin gloves, which I immediately gushed over and thanked him for. I had never gotten around to getting a nice pair for Herbology, but with the increasing intensity of preparing for the O.W.L., I definitely needed them.

The other box revealed a selection of products from the twin’s business, ranging from Canary Creams to Fainting Fancies. A wide smile spread over my face, more so happy that Jack had decided to support the two. Malfoy straightened next to me, but he peered over my shoulder in curiosity and kept his mouth shut. I was insanely thankful that I had made him pinky swear, I didn’t need him going on about why we shouldn’t ‘give donations’ to the Weasleys, as he liked to put it.

As Blaise was opening up Jack’s gift, Malfoy took the box from me and began to sift through the various objects, edible and nonedible. I kept a wary eye on him as Blaise thanked Jack for the tickets to next year’s quidditch World Cup. Jack had gotten Katie a few leather-bound journals, something to kick off her career in journalism.

Blaise had gifted Katie a couple self-refilling quills, though they were different than the ones Malfoy had always given me. Katie, Malfoy, and I started theorizing if Blaise and Jack had planned their presents together, but they both claimed they didn’t. Katie was over the moon anyways, claiming that she was going to start writing a story about the five of us with her new quills and journals.

Malfoy dug his gifts out from under the tree after Blaise, dropping them in each of our laps as he circled the table. Maybe it was just because I was his girlfriend, but I was met with a rather large box and numerous smaller ones. Katie practically forced me to go first, even with my cheeks burning in embarrassment.

With my legs tucked underneath me, I started to carefully peel the cellophane tape off the paper, feeling the need to not wrinkle Malfoy’s wrapping job. He watched me intently, his gaze constantly flicking between the box and my face, like he was waiting for a bad reaction.

He wasn’t going to get one though, at least not with this present. My mouth dropped open as I revealed a beautiful leather bag, the hardware glinting under the low candlelight of the common room. I had seen it weeks ago, back in Hogsmeade. And he had noticed, apparently.

Jack whistled under his breath, and Katie immediately started gawking at it. I finally tore my gaze away from the bag, looking up at Malfoy’s hesitant expression.

“If you don’t like it, I can get you-”

“I love it,” I breathed out, abandoning the schoolbag on the table as I threw my arms around his neck. Malfoy’s back was pushed against the couch, caught off guard for just a moment before he wrapped his arms around my back and I heard a chuckle escape his mouth. Katie snatched the bag off, and her and the other two started murmuring as they inspected the metal latches and polished leather.

“Sure?” he murmured, like he was assuring himself that I, in fact, liked his gift. I nodded frantically, pulling away from his embrace and planting a kiss right on the tip of his nose.

“Sweet Merlin,” Katie sighed, and I looked over at her. She had taken it upon herself to open the bag, most likely to check out how many pockets it had. With slightly furrowed eyebrows, I leaned over the table to see what she had found. Malfoy had filled the bag with all sorts of trinkets and things, and I wasn’t sure how I hadn’t felt them before.

Numerous white-feathered quills were nestled in their boxes, stacked up in one side of the bag. There were so many that at first glance, I couldn’t count. The sheer size of the bag was enormous as well, it reminded me of Mary Poppins’ bag in that old movie. Journals and a Wizard’s Chess set and other things were all shoved inside, and I felt my heart swell at the sight.

Turning back to Malfoy, I suddenly felt very nervous about my gifts for him. They were nothing remotely close in caliber. But even still, he had a large smile on his face as he sat cross-legged and his arms resting on the cushions behind him.

“Thank you, Draco,” I said seriously, and it was like I could see his face light up even more. His eyebrows raised in delight, and Malfoy immediately pulled me in for another hug.

“The rest is just sweets and stuff,” he whispered into my hair, one hand rubbing my back. I groaned playfully, pretending to be annoyed that he had ruined the surprise. The amount of effort he had put into the gifts in the bag was immense. I don’t think I could ever thank him properly.

Funnily enough, Malfoy had also gotten Blaise tickets for the World Cup next summer. We teased him about it, our laughs intermingling with the music from the phonograph. The fire was raging, and the Christmas tree twinkled under the candlelight. I felt so full, so happy as I leaned into Malfoy’s side as I watched Katie beg Blaise to bring us four along now that he had six tickets.

Surprisingly, Malfoy had gotten Jack a bottle of cologne that was similar to the one he wore. I guess Jack had stolen a few sprays a couple times, and had raved about it to the point of breaking Malfoy’s spine. Katie received a few bags of sweets and cat toys from Malfoy, who had apparently heard about her parent’s promise of a cat for Christmas.

My gifts were last, and I handed them out myself, like the others had done. Aunt Beth had sent the homemade cookies and sweets, which Blaise devoured almost immediately. Athena hadn’t been too happy about the heavy load, giving me the cold shoulder at breakfast a few days ago. Malfoy had had a handful of amphibian treats up his sleeve at the ready, though.

I bit down on my lip as I watched Malfoy’s fingers nimbly untie the twine around one of the boxes. God, I really hoped he liked it.

When I had seen the empty space below Malfoy’s family ring earlier this year, it had ignited an idea. Clearly, and I hoped I wasn’t thinking about it too much, Malfoy hadn’t gotten a replacement ring to fill the space of the ring he had given me. I still wore it every day, _D. Malfoy_ dangling right next to the olive branch.

I had never been so nervous watching someone open a gift from me. It was like time slowed, Malfoy’s fingers moving like slugs as he tore the wrapping back.

It took multiple tries and failures to get the inscription just as I wanted. In the end, the sentence started on the outside and finished on the inside, hopping over the band of the ring halfway through.

_Yours always, and with the biggest and best regards ever, O. Wilkinson_

A simple silver band, one to replace the emptiness on his finger. To be, hopefully, nestled right under his family crest.

Malfoy’s lips parted when he finally revealed the ring, which I had situated perfectly. The others had been squabbling about something unimportant, but they silenced themselves when they noticed Malfoy’s lack of talking. I sucked my lips between my teeth in wait, watching Malfoy as he turned the ring around, and then tilted it upwards so he could read the inside without the glare from the candles.

He read it over again, and then once more, before he finally turned to look over at me. “Stealing my thunder, are we, Olive?” he teased, and I felt a huge surge of relief as I collapsed into his side. He pressed a quick kiss to the top of my head as he slipped off his family ring, and then slid on his new one. I watched it happily, turning my head so I could plant a kiss to his shoulder.

The others returned to sifting through their presents as Malfoy continued through the rest of mine. I didn’t dare tell the others, but I had given him just a couple more cookies from Aunt Beth. He thanked me for the sweater I had gotten him, joking that I would steal it within a month anyways.

Like a young boy on Christmas morning, he tore through the rest, giving me a hug or kiss after he opened each one. I had kept one final one under the couch the entire time, wanting to ensure it was the last he opened. This was the one that he couldn’t ever possibly want for Christmas.

Malfoy was humming along quietly to the song that was playing, folding the leftover wrapping paper neatly as he listened in on one of Jack’s stories. With a nudge against his upper arm, he looked over at me and was met with the last one.

He took it gingerly, eyeing me suspiciously as he weighed it in his hand. “What could this possibly be, Wilkinson?” Malfoy asked, resting back against the couch.

“R’member when I said I’d get you something that you wouldn’t want?” I answered his question with one of my own, and he nodded as his fingers played with the twine. “Go on.” I urged him to continue unwrapping it.

A second later, Malfoy was holding a rock in his hand. A perfectly smooth one, might I add.

Malfoy looked just as confused as I had predicted him to be, and I snickered.

“Olive got him a rock!” Jack cackled, falling onto his back as he clapped his hands together. Blaise and Katie soon joined in, and a small smile crept onto Malfoy’s face.

“Bet you didn’t want a rock,” I said smugly, clearly very proud of myself. I had snuck down to the Black Lake a couple weeks ago, searching the shore for nearly two hours for the right one. If he wanted to, I’m sure the thing would skip like crazy.

“S’pose not,” Malfoy agreed through a laugh, flipping the rock around in his hand as he inspected it. My chuckles grew into gut-clenching laughter, the common room soon filled with the sounds of Christmas music and lighthearted banter as the five of us talked the afternoon away. I never once left Malfoy’s side, tucked into his chest as we listened to Jack tell the story of the time he and his parents came across trolls in the French countryside.

**MALFOY’S POINT-OF-VIEW**

She got me a _rock_.

And I _loved_ it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: VERY long a.n. ahead (lol) i kept adding to it as I was writing this over the past few days but pls read all the way through :)
> 
> Merry Christmas!! And a Happy (late) Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Boxing Day, a very late Diwali, and any other holidays/festivities I may have missed!! I’m so so so grateful for all of you :) Like honestly, I’m so happy I posted the very first chapter back in September, and I never expected what came/is coming from it. I love love love reading your comments and making friends through the fic. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, vote, give kudos, share, whatever it is you do!! 
> 
> And!! Thank you SO much to @ionaa_craddockk (on instagram) who made the absolutely adorable picture that I attached of the five around the fire!! I love it so much, it’s legit everything I envisioned when I was writing that scene and gOD consider my heart tugged also yes olive has a fatty
> 
> I also wanted to give a very fun shoutout to @thlmalfoy, who’s decided to graciously translate Loyalty into Spanish!! I’m hoping to get the first few chapters up within the next few weeks, so be on the lookout for that if you’d prefer to read in Spanish!! Or if you know anyone who would enjoy that, pls share it around lol :)
> 
> Also is it possible to like get shadowbanned on wattpad because i swear this fic never gets ranked under #draco or #dracomalfoy and i’m just like who the fuck am i writing this about then
> 
> AND LASTLY I literally couldn’t sleep a couple nights ago because my imagination has now made a reappearance after finals. I’m so excited for the rest of fifth year and how I’m planning for it to lay out!! Again, thank you SO much for reading, I really do hope you’re enjoying it :)


	65. chapter sixty-one

Athena was impatient in the mornings at times, especially if I hadn’t fed her yet. And I, like how every Christmas break morning should be spent, was sleeping in. Even though it was Christmas, it felt just a little bit less magical without my parents. It wasn’t that I didn’t like spending the holidays with Aunt Beth, but there was just something missing without my mother’s cookies and my father’s inevitably burned ham.

I woke to Athena thrashing about in my bedroom, flying back and forth from the window to my nightstand. My lamp was already knocked to the floor, which I wasn’t sure how I slept through, and I was certain my picture frame was next. Nearly jumping out of bed, I dodged Athena’s next fly-by attempt and snatched the frame off the tabletop.

“What has gotten into you?” I asked her, like she would be able to answer me. She settled once it was clear I was awake, now perching herself on the end of my bed. I winced when I realized I would have to eventually explain the scratches from her talons, but it was too early in the morning to even think about it.

Instead, she hooted gently and swiveled her head from me to my window. Following her gaze, I saw none other than Malfoy’s owl shimmying around in the flower box, or what was left of it given the dead of winter. Dirt was upheaved left and right from his incessant moving as he tried to find a comfortable spot. Sighing, I set the picture frame back on my nightstand and crossed my room.

As soon as I unlatched the window, Klaus let himself in, hopping from the flower box to the chair underneath. Like he was trained to do, he lifted one leg so I could untie Malfoy’s letter. He had rolled it up tighter than usual, maybe a precaution for any winter storms Klaus would have to fly through. It was clear he had, Klaus’ head was adorned with a tiny layer of snow.

_Dear Wilkinson,_

_I really hope Klaus made it, it was snowing at the manor when I sent him off. Probably wasn’t the best idea, but I wanted to make sure this made it to you on Christmas morning._

_Merry Christmas!_

I smiled at the goofy non-house-elf Malfoy had drawn next to the greeting, its hat standing tall and the tips of its shoes curled. He had also scribbled a few snowflakes, making sure to make each one different. Surprisingly, the pictures were very well-drawn, but I suppose Malfoy never half-assed anything. Probably re-drew them until they were to his satisfaction.

_I probably should’ve put that first, rather than hoping my owl didn’t die._

_Anyways, I heard of this New Year’s celebration in London. I know it’s for Muggles, but I thought you’d like to go. Only if you want, of course. Honestly, I don’t know why Muggles make such a big deal about it, it’s just another year. Nothing’s special about 1996, if you ask me._

I could picture him saying the last couple sentences, and a chuckle escaped my mouth before I could stop it.

_I have to go, Mum’s attempting to make Christmas cookies. We’ll see how that goes._

A tinge of sadness struck deep down in my stomach. I missed doing exactly that with my mother.

_Miss you loads._

_Christmas-y regards,_

_D. Malfoy_

At the end of the letter, Malfoy had taped down two daisies, the petals now perfectly pressed from the rolling of the parchment. With careful fingers, I tugged the stems out from their captivity and laid them on my nightstand.

I had left all my school things at Hogwarts, having no need for them over the break. The smile on my face couldn’t be contained as I rifled through my desk drawers, the muscles in my cheeks beginning to ache as my excitement grew. Athena hopped down from my bed and waddled across the floor to say hello to Klaus. He eyed her warily, but the two began hooting and clacking back and forth like they were talking in their own little language.

Sitting down at my desk, I twirled my quill around in my fingers as I thought of a response.

_Dear Malfoy,_

_Klaus made it, nearly sent Athena into cardiac arrest._

_Merry Christmas!!_

I dotted two exclamation points, just to one-up him. Underneath, I drew a smiling snowman with its arm outstretched in a wave. He was soon joined with a couple woodland friends, though the squirrels looked more like rats and the deer looked oddly similar to zebras, for some reason. Cringing at my horrendous art skills, I moved on.

_New Year’s sounds perfect, I’d love to spend it with you. Let me know how you would like to meet. Until then, I’m stuck at home with my aunt and our horde of owls. She’s thinking of getting a puppy, I think she’s lonely when I’m at school._

_I hope your cookies turned out well, tell your mum I say hello._

_Miss you loads._

_Christmas-y and New Year’s-y regards,_

_O. Wilkinson_

_(P.S. Thank you for the daisies, they’re lovely.)_

My eyes skimmed over my letter a few more times until I was satisfied. Writing to him still made me nervous. It was like talking to him was easier, more natural for me to do. Writing was formal, it was harder for us to joke around like we always did. And part of me feared his father would intercept Klaus before Malfoy did.

Klaus had gotten into my bottom dresser drawer, poking around in curiosity. It was filled with any extra Hogwarts things I had, but I still clucked my tongue at him in a gentle form of scolding. His head swiveled to face mine, his large eyes blinking innocently. 

Shaking my head, I sighed as I attached the letter to his leg. After a handful of pellets and a few scritches, he was on his way back to Malfoy.

“Olive!” I heard my aunt call from down the hallway after I latched my window shut. Athena turned at the noise as well, cocking her head as Aunt Beth popped her head into my bedroom. “Merry Christmas!”

Smiling, I bounded across the room and enveloped her in a tight hug. “Merry Christmas, Aunt Beth,” I held her close for a second, and then pulled away. Her hands rested on my shoulders, her mouth tugged up into a beaming grin. “Pancakes, then gifts?”

“Has Hogwarts made you go insane?” Aunt Beth scoffed, shaking her head. “Gifts, then pancakes.”

I laughed and nodded in agreement. She was right, breakfast could wait. Before I followed her downstairs, I beckoned Athena onto my waiting forearm. She hopped off the end of my bed and landed on my arm, careful not to dig her talons too far into my skin.

Aunt Beth was already sitting on the couch when I set Athena on her perch in the living room. She had spelled the coffee pot to start brewing, and I could hear the water percolating through the filter.

Over the past few days, bags and boxes had been added underneath the tree. Shopping for Aunt Beth had been a bit hard, with studying for mid-year exams and traveling home and all that. I had gotten her a month’s supply of chocolate frogs, though, which I was excited for her to open.

Warmed by the crackling fire, Aunt Beth and I dug into the gifts. Laughter and quiet Christmas music filled the room, the owls hooting every so often. I had bought Athena a few toy mice for Christmas, though she ripped them to shreds in a matter of seconds. Don’t know what I thought was going to happen.

Aunt Beth had gotten me loads of knick-knacks and trinkets, things to fill up my stocking. Sweets were also sprinkled throughout, and I was sure I had enough to carry me through the end of the school year. She had screamed in joy at the chocolate frogs, her excitement mirroring that of a child’s.

“Did your friends like the cookies?” she asked once we were surrounded by torn wrapping paper and opened boxes. I was slowly getting used to the taste of coffee, though it was practically milk given the amount I added. Sipping from my mug, I nodded enthusiastically.

“Blaise ate them all in one sitting, I swear,” I chuckled, and Aunt Beth smiled at me from across the coffee table. Leaning against the couch, I looked from the fireplace to Athena, who was nipping away at the cotton remnants of the mice. She shook her head aggressively, the cotton falling out of her beak like the snow outside.

“Who else are you friends with, again? I always get names mixed up, you know how I am,” she continued, her shoulders shaking in laughter. I bit down on my lip, thinking of Malfoy. I should probably just tell her about him and I, as well as Umbridge’s detentions. Since I had returned from Hogwarts, I had gotten away with it by tugging my sweaters over my hands whenever I was near Aunt Beth.

“Well, there’s Katie, one of my roommates. Pansy, too, but she didn’t celebrate Christmas with us. She’s been dating this guy for forever, they’re kind’a annoying,” I began, and Aunt Beth’s eyes lit up. She loved gossip. “And Katie’s dating Blaise, but I think you already knew that.” Aunt Beth nodded to confirm my suspicion.

“And there’s Jack, you met him in King’s Cross. Thought you were Mum, remember?” I asked, and my aunt nodded.

“How did that conversation go down?” she questioned carefully, her eyebrows furrowed together in worry. We both knew that I hadn’t talked much about my parent’s death unless absolutely necessary. It wasn’t a long stretch for her to think that I hadn’t told my friends, especially given Jack’s assumption.

I gnawed on my bottom lip in thought. It would be a good segue to tell her about Umbridge, and I could buy myself a few minutes to come up with what I was going to say about Malfoy. “Uh - you worked with Umbridge at the Ministry, right?”

Immediately, my aunt scoffed. “That bitch. But, yeah, I did. Why?” I didn’t even get the chance to respond before Aunt Beth began to connect the dots. “Oh, my God. She took that teaching job at Hogwarts, didn’t she? Her leaving the Ministry was all the office could talk about back in September.”

I nodded, swallowing thickly. “She’s the Dark Arts professor. And she can’t teach for shit, lemme tell you.” Aunt Beth snorted, agreeing with me. 

“What’s she got to do with Jack, though?” she pressed further, and I felt my heartbeat pick up. I don’t really know why I was so nervous, it wasn’t like my aunt would ground me.

“Well, she kind’a - uh - told everyone in Dark Arts that she used to work with you, and then she said that it was a shame what happened to Mum and Dad, and then everyone figured out that they’re dead, and then I called her a bitch, and then I got detention - two times, actually - and then this happened,” I rambled on, my words picking up as I continued. By the end, I wasn’t even sure Aunt Beth could understand me, but I was pulling up my sleeve anyways.

Aunt Beth’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she processed what I had said, but they quickly raised in shock as her eyes trailed over the scars. “Wh- oh God, Olive. C’mere,” she murmured, setting her coffee mug on the table and pulling me in for a hug.

I sighed in relief, leaning into her as her hands rubbed my back. “She’s an evil lady, wouldn’t be surprised if she worked for You-Know-Who,” Aunt Beth muttered, and I let out a huff of amusement. For all I knew, Umbridge could be a Death Eater. I doubted it, but maybe.

“That’s, like, child abuse, though. Does she do this to other students?” Aunt Beth asked when she pulled away, and I nodded.

“Anyone that gets detention with her has to write lines with this cursed quill of hers. I got a month’s worth my first time, but Snape got me out of it-”

“Snape?” my aunt’s mouth dropped open and her nose scrunched up in blatant confusion. “We’re talking about the brutally hard Potions professor, right? Greasy hair and those weird robes? That Snape?”

I sucked my teeth between my lips to keep the smile from spreading. Aunt Beth had done horribly in Potions during her time at Hogwarts, it was no surprise that she hated Snape.

“Yes, that Snape,” I chuckled. “Technically, he took the detentions over since he’s my Head of House, but he never instated any once they got transferred. That’s besides the point, though, since Umbridge gave me another detention for no reason,” Maybe I was exaggerating it, but whatever. “ And then she did this one.” I gestured up and down my forearm, and Aunt Beth took my arm gingerly. The salve from Pomfrey actually was fairly useful, the scars were beginning to fade.

“God, Olive. I’m so sorry this happened to you,” she gave me a sympathetic smile. “Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier? You could’ve sent Athena or something.”

I sighed quickly, having already expected that question. I had prepared an answer since before I even got on the Express in Hogsmeade. “It’s nothing, really. Besides, that Harry Potter kid got himself like a billion detentions, and there’s been a whole bunch of students that have gotten their fair share. It’s not like she’s picking on me directly.”

“I’m talking to Fudge, this is ridiculous! I cannot believe they let that bat-shit crazy lady teach Dark Arts,” Aunt Beth shook her head as she stood. I watched helplessly as she rounded the back of the couch, no doubt heading for the junk drawer in the kitchen for a sheet of parchment. “She faked all her yearly reports when I was under her, did I ever tell you that? You know, the ones that have people’s performance reviews on them? Gave all of us ‘terrible,’ but herself an ‘exceptional.’”

She yanked a sheet out, rifling through the drawer angrily for a quill right after. Finally, my feet caught up with my brain and I scrambled into the kitchen. “You can’t write Fudge! I’m certain he had something to say about her new position, I can’t let you get in trouble for something I got myself into.” 

My sudden exclamation made my aunt freeze, and she looked over at me with a sad smile. “You’re my niece, Olive. I promised your mum that I would take care of you if something ever happened to her, and that’s what I’m doing now. If I get into trouble at work, which I won’t, I’ll deal with it.”

I frantically racked my brain for another excuse, trying my hardest to come up with something that would prevent her from owling out today. And introducing the topic of the Malfoy’s came up sooner than I had expected for it to.

“Malfoy said that his father is working on it, anyways. I guess he has a high position, one that Fudge talks with a lot.” Technically, Mr. Malfoy hadn’t done anything but make the punishments more severe, but Aunt Beth didn’t need to know that.

“Malfoy?” The quill came to hover above the paper.

“I’m friends with Malfoy, you knew that,” Maybe more than friends, but I would get to that eventually.

“I recall you calling him a ‘real dick,’” she corrected my statement, and a brief smile washed over my face. He still was a real dick, at times. I shook my head, deciding to just tell her the truth.

“I mean, he is. But he’s actually kind of sweet sometimes, and I kind’a ended up dating him?” I said, my voice involuntarily raising towards the end. Aunt Beth widened her eyes, cocked her head, and her mouth fell open in obvious surprise.

“You’re dating a Malfoy?” she finally said, after her mouth had opened and closed several times. “Good lord, what else haven’t you told me?”

“That’s all, I swear,” I reassured her, shaking my head profusely. “Just Umbridge and Malfoy, that’s it.”

“His father was a real jerk when your mum and I were at Hogwarts. Called my friends Mudbloods, and practically ran the school even as a first-year,” Aunt Beth commented, but she set the quill down. “I can only hope the son is nicer.”

“He has his moments,” I admitted quietly, shrugging. “But he really is nice, at least with me. I mean, it seems like it.”

“Just don’t let him hurt you, alright? The Malfoys, they have a - er - reputation, I guess I could put it,” she sighed, her eyes skimming over the empty parchment. “But I do reckon his father has a better pull than me at the Ministry. If he truly is taking care of it, like you say he is.”

I nodded again, giving her a small smile. “Well, speaking of Malfoy, he owl’d earlier and asked me to join him in London for New Year’s,” I hinted slyly, averting my gaze out the back windows. “Can I go? I already told him I could.”

Aunt Beth huffed exasperatedly, wrapping her fingers around the edge of the kitchen counter for a brief second. We sat in silence, me biting down on my lip while she clearly thought through it. “I guess so. Be careful, all right?” she made me promise, and I gleefully gave it to her.

Maybe I could steal a New Year’s kiss from him.

\---

It took a few days, given the storm, but Klaus was soon pecking at my bedroom window again. This time, Malfoy attached a small bag of treats to his other leg. He probably forgot the first time. After I let Klaus in, I let him mosey around my floor as he gobbled down the treats. Curling up on my window seat, I brought my knees to my chest as I carefully tore open the Malfoy family seal.

_Dear Wilkinson,_

_Good thing Hogwarts only has art as an extra-curricular - you would definitely fail._

I scoffed at his jab, though it was quickly replaced by a smile as I continued on.

_Just write back with where your house is, I can get you there. Five P.M. on New Year’s Eve._

_Cookies turned out decent, I’ll save a few for you._

_You win,_

_D. Malfoy_

Triumphantly, I smirked to myself as I read the last couple lines. I had set a blank sheet of parchment on my desk days ago, waiting to be used to respond to Malfoy. Snatching it, I scratched Klaus’ head as he joined me on the cushion. It seemed like he was warming up to me. I quickly wrote down my address, telling him I was the house with the red door at the end of the street.

_Dear Malfoy,_

_Perfect. See you then._

_I’m excited for cookies._

_And I always win,_

_O. Wilkinson_

Klaus had fallen asleep by the time I finished writing my letter, apparently extremely comfortable as he leaned against a decorative pillow. I wondered what he was treated like back at the manor, if Malfoy kept him in his bedroom, or if the Malfoys had a room similar to the owlery at Hogwarts. It was clear that Klaus was well-taken care of. Shiny feathers, bright eyes, a tad bit of an impatient attitude. Definitely a Malfoy, even as an owl.

I let Klaus sleep as I tidied my room, careful not to make too much noise as if he was a human guest. From what I knew, the Malfoys lived somewhere in Wiltshire. When I had visited the manor last summer, all I could see was the countryside stretched for miles around. Klaus had a long journey ahead of him, and I wanted to let him rest.

When he finally was ready for traveling, I watched him until he was a tiny speck in the sky.

I only had to wait two days until I saw Malfoy again. I suppose I had seen him just over a week ago, but he was just so easy to miss terribly. His laugh, his kisses, his cologne, everything. I just wanted to give him a big hug when I saw him.

And now that Aunt Beth knew, I didn’t feel guilty in the slightest. The only thing I had to worry about was the inevitable interaction between the two. Maybe I could convince my aunt we needed groceries just before he arrived. It had worked with Jack before the World Cup.

But, God, did those two days drag on. I tried to speed them up, going to a movie with Aunt Beth, and ice skating with my Muggle friends, but they still felt twice as long. It wasn’t until the night before that my stomach was a mess of butterflies and pixies, preventing me from falling asleep.

Rolling onto my back, I stared up at my ceiling. The gentle glow of Christmas lights outside creeped inside, casting shadows of the pattern of my window panes across my room. Foolishly, I had crawled into bed early, like that would make me fall asleep quickly.

Unconsciously, my hand came to fiddle with Malfoy’s ring, my forefinger dipping in and out repeatedly. I couldn’t wait to see him, to kiss him. God, he was all I thought about, really. From the moment I woke up to the moment I fell asleep. It just sucked that he wasn’t here to take the place of my pillow.

At some point while I was reminiscing on good memories I held with him, I fell asleep. 

The next day was mostly spent watching movies with my aunt. She had planned a night out with her old school friends, but from what I gathered, she wasn’t leaving until six. Which meant that she would undoubtedly be here when Malfoy came.

At around two, I ran upstairs for a shower, and began to ready myself. It was cold like it always was in the winter, but the weather forecast promised a clear New Year’s Eve night. Aunt Beth had begun to get herself ready for the bars, and music floated up and down the upstairs hallway from her bedroom.

Humming along, I stood in front of my closet with my hands on my hips. I would definitely need a coat and gloves, possibly a hat. It was my chance to dress somewhat cute, not having to wear a school uniform for once. After nearly an hour, I had settled on plain black jeans and a cream cable knit sweater. I was sure Malfoy was going to show up in some expensive coat and everything. Perhaps a suit, if I was lucky.

Somehow, I lost track of time as I was milling around my room, practically begging for something to do to pass the remaining minutes. I was knocked off my train of thought about Christmas sweets when a sharp knock came from the front door. Immediately, my stomach swarmed with nerves and I bounded towards my door. Aunt Beth had retreated out of her bedroom, leaning against her doorframe as she fiddled with the backing of her earring. She watched me with a small smile as I hurried down the stairs. 

When I flung the front door open, I was immediately met with Malfoy, who looked up with wide eyes at the sudden movement. They quickly melted into a soft grin, the corners of his eyes crinkling up.

“Hi,” I breathed out, completely pulled into his magnetism. My hand wrapped around the edge of the door, my feet bolted to the floor.

“Hi,” he returned, his eyes darting behind me for a quick moment. “Red door.” Malfoy gestured to the front door, and I nodded eagerly. It was like it was our first date, ever. We were still so nervous and childish, too infatuated with one another to do anything more.

“You gonna let me in, or are you gonna keep me out here all night?” Malfoy joked, breaking me from the trance I was in. He was, in fact, wearing a different expensive-looking coat, hanging down past his knees. A scarf was tucked tightly into his collar, swaddling his neck from any nippy breeze.

“Right,” I swallowed, stepping back to open the passageway for him. “Of course, come in. It’s - well, it’s quaint, but I can get you something to drink before we go?” I offered, and Malfoy nodded as he began to unwrap his scarf.

I watched warily as I closed the door behind him, his eyes flicking around from the living room, up the stairs, and then around to the kitchen. They danced along the picture frames on the mantle above the fireplace, and then across the ones on the table in the entryway. Malfoy began to shrug off his coat afterwards, still completely intrigued by my living room.

“What’s that?” he asked me suddenly, turning on his heel. I followed his pointed finger, and I felt a snicker developing once I realized he was gesturing towards the television.

“The television. Don’t you have one?” I answered with a question of my own, reaching out for his scarf and coat. It was the least I could do, hosting him at my house for the few minutes. He ignored it though, instead striding further into my living room. Malfoy’s gaze swept over the television antennas, looking up to the ceiling for a brief second. It was like he was a toddler, newly introduced to the way Muggles did things.

“We don’t,” he finally answered, shaking his head as he continued through the living room. Malfoy slowed as he passed by the fireplace, his eyes landing on a particular picture frame of my parents and I. “Your parents?” His tone was gentle, cautious.

I nodded as I crossed the room to come to a stop by his side. “You look just like your mum,” he noticed, looking back and forth from the picture to me. I couldn’t do much more than nod again, agreeing with his statement. People always told me I looked more like my mum than my father, but I had my father’s personality.

“Olive? Is he here?” my aunt called from upstairs, though she knew full well Malfoy had been standing in the house for the past few minutes. Malfoy nearly jumped at her voice, spinning on his heel quickly. His Adam’s apple bobbed a couple times, indicating he was more anxious than he would ever admit.

Smirking, I dragged my gaze from him towards the staircase. “Yeah, just got here! When are you leaving?” Malfoy cocked an eyebrow, but I ignored it with a held-up hand as I waited for her answer.

“Hour at most!” she responded quickly, her voice still far away.

“Going out with her friends,” I explained when I turned back around. Malfoy chuckled, flicking his eyebrows up in acknowledgement. I managed to wrangle his coat out of his grasp, draping it over the back of the couch as I passed on my way to the kitchen. He stood for a second, before he trailed me.

Lifting my chin towards the kitchen island, I said, “Sit there. Tea or hot chocolate?” I asked as I leaned on the kitchen counter. Awkwardly, Malfoy tugged out the stool and sat on top, his knees bent as his feet rested on the wooden bar. 

“Hot chocolate,” he decided rather quickly, watching me with a glint of interest in his eyes as I began to maneuver around the kitchen. A moment later, I had two mugs filled with milk and had placed them in the microwave. His eyebrows slightly furrowed as I punched in the time, and came to rest against the counter next to him.

Quickly, before my aunt could come down and ruin the moment, I leaned into him and pressed my lips against his. A low grumble came from deep within his chest at the contact, one hand instinctively snaking around my waist in order to pull me closer to him. His knees swung around on the stool, so our fronts faced one another.

One of my hands came to grip at his shoulder, the other tangling itself in his hair. Surprisingly, he hadn’t worn a hat, though I was partially glad. That goddamn fur one from third-year was horrendous, I hoped he had burned it.

He pulled away first, staring up at me with those gleaming eyes of his. Gently, I raised my hand to brush a few strands of hair out of his face, smiling down at him with a lazy grin. We stayed like that for a few moments, until Malfoy practically jumped into the back garden when the microwave beeped. His reaction made me flinch as well, the two of us clutching onto one another like we were in danger. I realized the source of the sound first, a laugh escaping my lips before I could stop it.

“What the bloody hell was that?” he rushed out, his eyes frantically searching the kitchen. I slipped out of his death grip, prying his fingers off of my waist before I walked towards the microwave.

“You have got to get out of that manor more often,” I joked, shaking my head as I pulled the two mugs out. I had already put the tin of cocoa on the counter, the spoon balancing on top. The ‘lazy man’s cocoa,’ as my father preferred to call it.

I hadn’t realized Malfoy had gotten off the stool until his arms wrapped around my waist as I began to spoon the powder into the mugs. His grip was unsteady, like he was still shaken by the beeping. A small smirk sat on my face as I continued, feeling his chin eventually rest on my shoulder as he watched.

“You put more chocolate in that one,” he noted, unwrapping his fingers to point to the left mug.

“Did not,” I scoffed, shaking my head. I, however, wasn’t expecting Malfoy’s next move. In a flash, I was shoved to the side and he was holding up the two mugs like he could see through the ceramic.

“Feels heavier,” he countered, weighing the two mugs in his hands. My mouth dropped open in shock, snatching the cocoa tin off the counter.

“That is such a load, Malfoy,” I retorted, but I had already started scooping another spoonful. A heaping spoonful in fact, just to spite him. Clearly pleased with winning the argument, he held out the right mug to me, and I dropped the powder in. I rolled my eyes as he pulled back the mug, gesturing for me to take the left one. We stood in silence as we stirred the milk, and I could feel his smug smirk burning a hole into my head.

“They were the same, but now I’ve got more chocolate,” he nearly giggled, bringing the mug to his lips for a sip. I should’ve expected that, really. He was back on the stool before I could blink, holding the mug tightly between his hands.

Malfoy just looked just as happy as he had in the quad, his eyes scrunched up in delight and a large grin on his face. I admired him for a second, looking at him from over the rim of my mug. Which, in reality, tasted just as chocolate-y as I liked my hot cocoa. I was surprised Malfoy didn’t have a cavity or two, given the amount of sugar he liked to consume.

I took a seat next to him, our knees knocking together as we sipped our drinks in a comfortable silence. Aunt Beth was still bustling around upstairs, the floorboards creaking every so often. My house was a stark contrast to Malfoy’s manor, down to every last detail. Where I had a cramped kitchen table, Malfoy had a long, shiny dark wood dining table with numerous chairs. He had a fireplace stretching at least two storeys, whereas mine barely reached the ceiling, even with the mirror above.

But he fit surprisingly naturally into my home, like he had lived here for years. Besides the awkward stool pull-out, he had welcomed himself in, wandered about the living room, and was now drinking hot cocoa with me from mugs that were at least fifteen years old.

The sound of Aunt Beth descending the staircase broke me from my thoughts, the quick succession indicating she was nearly skipping downstairs. Malfoy straightened at the noise as well, setting the mug down and hastily wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. I peered around his back to see my aunt approaching, her hair bouncing with every step.

“Malfoy, I take it?” she pretended to guess, coming to a stop in the middle of the kitchen. Malfoy nodded from beside me, slipping off the stool and extending a polite hand. A small smile danced along my aunt’s lips as she took his hand in hers, giving him a firm shake.

“I’ve heard lots about you, er-” he started, suddenly coming to a stop as he looked over at me. I was confused for a moment, until I realized he was probably stuck on how to address her.

“Beth,” my aunt finished for him, patting the back of his hand with her free one before she pulled away. “And all good things, I hope.”

Malfoy chuckled, the noise a bit more uptight than usual, but I hoped he was relaxing. Aunt Beth really wasn’t all that intimidating. My father, on the other hand…

“Of course,” he answered, shoving his hands in the pockets of his dress pants. Malfoy looked back at me again, and I shifted my gaze to Aunt Beth, who was attempting to fix the strap on her heel.

“Spitting image of your father, I’ll tell you that one for free,” Aunt Beth joked, straightening back up and smoothing out her dress.

“I get that a lot,” he nodded, and I searched his face for a sign that he wasn’t growing irritated. I knew talk about his father could be a touchy subject, even if Aunt Beth didn’t mean for it to be. He didn’t look like he was, though, a playful glint in his eye when he looked back at me for what felt like the tenth time since Aunt Beth had come downstairs.

“Well, I’m leaving early,” Aunt Beth turned to me. “Angela wants to get to dinner early, before all the crowds.”

I nodded, watching as she plucked a granola bar from the pantry. A good cure for any alcohol-induced nausea, she had told me once. I snickered as she waved it towards me, Malfoy looking incredibly lost.

“Have fun!” I told her as she skirted around Malfoy, who was still standing.

“You know I will,” she played along, grabbing her jacket off the kitchen table. I thought she was about to leave, but she suddenly stopped at the entrance to the kitchen. Malfoy had turned to watch her as well, his mug completely abandoned on the counter beside mine.

“Listen here, Malfoy. You better take care of her, understood? Not just tonight, but always,” she said seriously, her eyes narrowing as she stared down Malfoy. His spine seemed to crack under her intensity, his lips slightly parting. I had to bite down on the inside of my cheek to keep a smile from growing. “She’s my only niece, and I swear to God, if you don’t, I’ll make you wish you were never born.”

Maybe Aunt Beth _could_ be just as intimidating as my father, given Malfoy’s reaction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really have nothing to say other than I have wanted to throw hands with anything and everything these past few days


	66. chapter sixty-two

Malfoy waited until Aunt Beth had closed the front door to turn around, and I had never seen his eyes so wide. It looked like her threat had genuinely shook him more than I had expected it to. Even still, a grin spread over my face as I looked back at him. It took a fleeting moment, but he soon held an identical one.

“She doesn’t mean that,” I reassured him, but he only rolled his eyes as he came to sit back with me. I wasn’t sure why, really, but having just him alone in my house suddenly made my heart race and my mind go fuzzy. It was like that with Aunt Beth there, I had a sense of comfortability that I normally had at home. I had been alone with Malfoy plenty of times, and I definitely wasn’t complaining, but it just felt like I was peeling back another layer of vulnerability for him. Even if he didn’t know it.

“Your aunt could give my father a run for his money,” Malfoy joked as he slipped his fingers through the handle of the mug. Now it was my turn to roll my eyes.

“Yeah, right,” I snorted, propping my head on my hand and swishing what was left of my hot chocolate around. Malfoy didn’t say anything to that, causing me to look at him after a few seconds of silence. He was staring back at me with this dumb look on his face, his lips slightly curved upward. His blue eyes flicked over my face, and I narrowed mine suspiciously.

We spent a few more moments like that, no words exchanged as we simply gazed at one another. I nearly jumped when Malfoy suddenly shifted, slipping off the stool and walking over to the couch. He moved so easily and fluidly, twisting around the sharp corner of the slightly too-large end table like he had known it was there for years. Even I bumped into it from time to time, and I had lived here my entire life.

I watched him absentmindedly as he rifled through the pockets of his coat, my eyes trailing from his head down his back. Aunt Beth had turned off the overhead lights when she left, only leaving the kitchen lights on. It basked the living room in a gentle glow, casting shadows over Malfoy’s body. Unconsciously, I bit down on my lip as he flipped his coat over, clearly looking for another pocket. He started to grumble under his breath in frustration.

“I know I put them in here…” he murmured, sending me a quick look over his shoulder. God, he looked so broad and tall and simply scrumptious. I hadn’t realized that I, too, had slipped off the stool until I was right behind him. Slowly, delicately, I pressed my hands to his shoulderblades and ran them up his back. I heard a low chuckle come from deep inside him at my touch, leaning back onto his heels so his back was flush with my front. In a quick jump, I leapt onto him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“What are you doing?” he laughed, one hand coming up to rest over my clasped two. Swiftly, I wrapped my legs around his torso, holding on for dear life as I watched over his shoulder. I pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, feeling the way his cheek muscles contracted in a smile.

“You just looked too irresistible,” I stated matter-of-factly. He hummed in response, bending ever so slightly forward as he continued to dip his free hand in and out of his pockets. I rested my cheek on his shoulder, closing my eyes in total serenity. Maybe I could convince him to stay in tonight, we didn’t necessarily need to go to London.

“Found ‘em,” he muttered, yanking a neatly tied bag from one of the pockets. Malfoy straightened up, taking me with him. His hand that had been clasping mine traveled under my thigh, holding me up as he maneuvered around the couch.

Maybe not so carefully, he dropped me on the cushions, ignoring my yelp of surprise. He had a smile on his face as he sat down next to me, pushing his coat away. I quickly scrambled to his side, very intrigued as to what was in the bag. A large part of me was hoping it was Narcissa’s cookies.

“Mum only bakes during the holidays, so they might not be the best,” Malfoy chuckled under his breath as his nimble fingers tugged the tie free. The cellophane quickly gave way, exposing a stack of ginger snaps and sugar cookies.

I shook my head as I practically climbed onto his lap, eager to try one. “I’m sure they’re delicious.”

Malfoy flicked his eyebrows up in an “oh well” way, but he handed me a ginger snap a second later. I took it from him, taking a small, cautious bite. Immediately, the cookie melted on my tongue and my eyes widened. His widened as well, though in a nervous way.

“They’re so good, what’re you on about?” I scoffed, taking another bite. Malfoy’s tense expression gave way to a relieved one, a laugh escaping his lips. Before he got the chance to answer, I spoke again. “Have you ever watched a Christmas program?”

Malfoy shook his head, looking warily to the television. I smirked, leaning forward to snatch the remote off the coffee table. If I was lucky, one of the old-timey stop-motion films should be on, even after Christmas. They were over thirty years old, but they were my favorite.

He jumped beside me when the television flicked on, the screen soon illuminating the living room with a gentle glow. Aunt Beth had left it on some news channel, so I flipped through until I found _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_ was on. Satisfied, I set the remote back on the table and leaned back into Malfoy’s side.

“What the bloody hell is this?” he murmured, though his eyes were trained on the television. It was like he was in a trance, so I had to burrow underneath his arm to get comfortable. He let it dangle limply over my shoulders as I reached for another cookie. I never would have imagined us doing _this_ a year ago. A month ago, even.

“Rudolph,” I said, shrugging after I swallowed. He let out a huff, but he relaxed into the cushions and kept his attention on the television. I had seen the program numerous times, so I let my eyes shift to him. He was like a toddler placed in front of the television for the first time, his eyes reflecting the current scene while also totally intrigued.

We watched the program in silence for a while, the only sounds coming from the television and the occasional crinkling of the cellophane when one of us wanted a cookie. Malfoy was full of questions and comments after a while, however.

“Why does he want to be a dentist?”

“The elf I drew on your letter kind’a looks like that one.”

“Ha, that clown looks like Simmons’ boggart.”

After an hour, the program had come to a close. I had dozed off a few times, Malfoy’s shoulder just too comfy and the quiet hum of the television too relaxing. He woke me with a gentle shake, pressing his lips to my forehead a second later.

“We still have to go to London, d’you forget?” he murmured, clearly tired himself. He tried to stifle a yawn, which only infected me with one. With bleary eyes, I looked over at him with a lazy smile, stretching out so my head rested on his lap. His fingers came to rake through my hair, the satisfying tug causing my eyes to close once more.

“Why can’t we just stay here?” I weakly fought back. I was way too content right now, wanting nothing more than to soak up any time with him. Things seemed to be different when we were away from Hogwarts. Even at Hogsmeade, I felt like it was just he and I alone in the entire world. “There’s more stop-motion films, y’know. Loads of ‘em.”

“We can save those for another time,” he whispered, and I let out an exhausted chuckle. He sounded like my parents had when I was younger, begging to stay up late and watch another program. “Besides, midnight is in a few hours, and we still have to actually get to London.”

“Fine,” I huffed, rolling onto my side and pressing my cheek against his knee. He laughed from behind me, his hand now skimming down my spine and around the side of my waist. I nearly jumped onto the coffee table when he gave a gentle squeeze.

As I was placing the mugs in the sink, Malfoy shrugged on his coat. The cookies had been long finished, the cellophane and tie now in the bin.

The journey to London wasn’t long since Aunt Beth and I didn’t live far. Part of me was just surprised as to how easily Malfoy weaved through the crowds and down the stairs to the underground, even during the craziness that was New Year’s Eve. I wondered if his father ever brought him out of the wizarding world when he was younger.

“Stay close,” he muttered into my ear as we were walking, his hand wrapping around mine and interlacing our fingers. Smirking, I followed suit and paced myself with his strides, nearly curling into his side. I liked the protective side of him. Made him even hotter, in my opinion.

“How are you so good at this?” I asked as he tugged me along, through the gates and onto the platform. His mere confidence was probably intimidating to others, a few other men side-eyeing him as he pulled the two of us through the crowd.

“Father used to take me on business trips every now and then,” he responded curtly, his eyes sweeping up and down the tracks. I frowned in thought, huddled closer into his side as we waited for the train. The schedule had been adjusted for the holiday, so they were running later into the night.

Malfoy had swapped his fur coat for a more basic material, one that I couldn’t put my finger on. Expensive, though, probably. He was dressed like a Muggle, even with his striking blonde hair. I let my mind wander as he started talking about something vaguely related to quidditch, his voice faint in my head. I couldn’t help but wonder what others thought when they saw the two of us. He was so confident, so stoic, so _perfect_. 

And I wasn’t sure where this insecurity came from, if there was something in the damp air of the underground, but I just felt so inferior to him. Like I would never be really enough, even if he convinced me every waking moment.

“You’re shittin’ me,” Malfoy suddenly groaned, and I was broken from my train of thought. His eyes were trained on something, or someone, down the platform, and I let my gaze follow. What I wasn’t expecting, in even _remotely_ the slightest amount, was to see Alexia weaving her way through the crowd with an outstretched arm of greeting.

Jack was right behind Alexia, a look of exasperation on his face as he trailed her. 

“Draco! What a surprise to see you here,” she giggled as she approached. She acted like I wasn’t attached to his hip, her eyes solely landing on Malfoy. I looked to Jack, who shook his head and mouthed an apology.

“It’s New Year’s Eve,” Malfoy answered rather emotionlessly, causing a small smirk to form on my lips. Jack closed his eyes briefly, turning his face away from Alexia so she couldn’t see his smile.

“You here for the fireworks?” I asked Jack. If Alexia was going to pretend I wasn’t here, then I had no problem reciprocating it. I felt a boost of confidence when Malfoy snuck his arm around my waist, pulling me further into him.

“Yeah, Alexia’s idea,” Jack nodded towards her, who was still drooling over Malfoy. He flicked his eyebrows up at me, and I immediately caught on. She probably dragged him out from home, there was no way he still liked her after Hogsmeade. At the mention of her name, she looked over at him.

“Jack, I told you that you can call me Lexi,” she laughed, the sound incredibly annoying. Jack simply nodded, and then pretended to become busy with looking at the train schedule.

“Well, this is just perfect, isn’t it? Us four can celebrate together,” she smiled, clasping her hands excitedly in front of her chest. I really wanted to like her, I really did, but I simply couldn’t. It really would’ve been fun if Jack had gotten himself a girlfriend, one that merged seamlessly into our group. Alexia wasn’t it, however, and we all knew it.

“Super perfect,” I answered her before Malfoy could open his mouth. My eyes were slightly narrowed, but the fakest smile tugged at my lips. She returned it with a reserved glare of her own, looking from me to Malfoy before turning on her heel and joining Jack.

If only I could shove her onto the tracks-

Malfoy interrupted my thoughts once more, this time bending down so his lips brushed against my ear. “Throw her to the tracks?”

A laugh escaped my mouth before I could stop it, finding it too funny that Malfoy and I had been thinking the exact same thing. At the sudden outburst, Alexia looked over her shoulder. I raised my chin, pursing my lips as I leaned back into Malfoy’s chest. Possessively, he wrapped one arm loosely around my neck, his hand resting on my shoulder. I held her gaze with an arched eyebrow as I raised my hands, lightly grabbing onto his forearm. 

“Think we might have to. For Jack’s sake,” I said, loud enough for Malfoy to hear but quiet enough that Jack and Alexia couldn’t over the bustling platform. She turned with a huff, leaning herself into Jack’s side. I could tell from his body language, which didn’t soften at all, that he didn’t particularly like it.

Malfoy let out a low chuckle behind me, shifting his arm to tighten his grip on my shoulder. I felt his chin come to sit on the top of my head as we watched Jack and Alexia. Jack’s shoulders rose and fell with a deep sigh, one hand running through his hair as Alexia babbled on about something clearly unimportant to him. If I could get him alone for a second, I was dying to know why the two of them were even here.

The crowd began moving towards the edge of the platform when a train approached, and Malfoy tugged me along with him. Jack and Alexia were still ahead of us, slipping through the doors once prior passengers unloaded themselves. Given the holiday, the car was packed more so than usual, people smushed into the scarcely available seats and standing together like sardines in a tin.

Malfoy somehow found a vacant seat before Jack did, quickly pulling me over to it. He sat down first, and I followed suit, sitting down on his lap. Alexia eyed me as she came to a stop in front of us, reaching up and grasping onto one of the overhead handles. Jack was right behind her, leaning into a pole.

“Y’know, I think those seats are only made for one person, Olive. It would be quite embarrassing if you broke that one,” she sneered down at us, and Malfoy’s arms instinctively snaked around my waist to hold me close. Or hold me down, given the amount of rage that was currently boiling up inside me.

It took everything, every bit of effort in each of my cells, to not bite back at her. I told myself I was waiting for the right time to absolutely demolish her, and the train on New Year’s Eve wasn’t special enough.

“We’ll be fine,” I answered curtly, leaning back into Malfoy’s hold. Alexia’s eyes narrowed, her lips pressing together in a firm line as she stared down at me.

“All I’m saying is that-” she started again, but Jack cut her off.

“Stop it, Alexia,” he nearly snapped, his composure tense. She did listen to him, however, closing her mouth once more and huffing angrily. We had hours until midnight, and I wasn’t sure what to expect now.

I nearly slipped off Malfoy’s lap when the train suddenly lurched forward. He tightened his grip in a second, pulling my back further into his chest. I hummed happily, a gentle smirk on my face when I saw that Alexia had stumbled several feet back, and found herself being scowled at by a particularly mean-looking man.

Jack had his attention facing up the train, looking away from her waiting, and very annoyed, gaze. The train ride was short, nearly the entire crowd unloading with us. Malfoy grabbed my hand protectively the instant we stood, leading the two of us out with Jack and Alexia trailing us. Jack looked miserable, an expression that I had never seen before lacing his face.

The early sunset had already painted the sky black, but London was as bustling and vibrant as ever. Truthfully, it wasn’t as cold as I thought it would’ve been, but maybe it was due to the sheer amount of people around us. Didn’t want to think about the required intensity of body heat at all, so I scrunched up my nose and only pressed myself further into Malfoy’s side. My free hand curled around his bicep, holding on tight as he maneuvered us through the crowd.

“Wonder why Jack said yes,” Malfoy murmured to me as we walked, his neck bent down so only I could hear.

I shrugged underneath him, glancing up at him quickly. “Jack’s too nice to say no, even to someone like her.”

Malfoy only rolled his eyes at my response, but started to guide me towards a main street. A few, clearly drunk, people ran past us, shouting and whooping as they darted through the crowd. At the noise, Malfoy’s head swiveled around in search of the source, and unconsciously dropped my hand. I was confused for a second, until I felt his arm hooking around my shoulders, as if to hide me from the disturbance.

“Off to dinner, you two?” Alexia’s voice came from my right, a fake smile plastered on her face. I wasn’t actually sure where Malfoy was taking me, so I looked to him for an answer. Part of me was looking forward to a meal, the hot chocolate and cookies hadn’t filled up my stomach. And it had been attacked by butterflies all day, preventing me from eating breakfast or lunch.

“We are,” he responded curtly, his gaze flicking to Jack. Mine followed, seeing Jack practically getting down on his knees in a beg. I had really been looking forward to a quiet, intimate night with Malfoy, but I couldn’t leave Jack alone with Alexia. So, I gently fisted Malfoy’s sweater that was underneath my hand, hidden from the others. Hopefully, he would pick up on my silent plea.

“And you?” Malfoy asked instead, raising his chin towards Jack. Alexia, who still had that dumb smile on her face, looked between the two boys, clearly waiting for an answer from Jack. Maybe he hadn’t made dinner plans. Honestly, I was surprised that Malfoy had.

“I was thinking Nando’s,” Jack said simply, and Alexia looked like she was literally going to blow up. I stifled a snicker, hiding my face in Malfoy’s chest. He huffed in amusement as well, and Jack’s face held a sly smirk. Alexia did seem like the type of girl to require expensive dinners on dates. I’m sure Malfoy had something extravagant planned, given the boy he was, but I would’ve been overjoyed to cram into a Nando’s booth with him anyways.

“Why don’t we just go with Draco and Olive?” Alexia proposed, and I drug my face out of the intermittent solace I was finding in Malfoy’s chest.

The four of us fell into a moment of awkwardness, multiple glances exchanged with one another. It wasn’t until Jack spoke that Alexia retreated the daggers that she was shooting from her eyes.

“Uh, I dunno, Alexia. I think they were hoping for a night together, y’know? Like one that a _couple_ would have?” Jack said, slightly emphasizing the fact that Malfoy and I were dating. Alexia’s scowl only intensified, and I started to wonder how she was expecting to even be invited. Certainly not with that sour look on her face.

But, still, I felt for Jack. New Year’s was a time for celebration, and I couldn’t even begin to imagine spending it with someone like her. I clutched onto Malfoy’s sweater again, this time paired with a nudge from my foot.

It took Malfoy a second, with the constant flicking of his eyes between Jack and Alexia, but he finally piped up. “You two can come with, I s’pose. I’m not paying for you, though.”

Alexia’s scowl was replaced with a smug smile, raising an eyebrow at me before slipping her arm through Jack’s. Over her head, he silently mouthed his gratitude, and Malfoy sighed beside me.

I still didn’t know where Malfoy had made reservations, so I walked in time with him as we crossed the bridge. Plenty of locals were already celebrating, the air alive with shouting and laughter. My gaze flicked about, smiling when I saw a child on her father’s shoulders. She had those goofy _1996_ glasses on, which were much too big for her small head.

It wasn’t until Malfoy finally slowed that I came to realize where he had planned all along. An extremely up-scale and undoubtedly expensive Italian restaurant. With a quick glance inside, I saw a hefty amount of stuck-up looking people, waiters dipping between each table with large trays of flowing champagne. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say it was a wizarding restaurant, one that was somehow masked from the Muggle world. There was no way those waiters were carrying that amount of flutes without a little bit of magic.

Malfoy led me up the stairs, glancing over his shoulder. Unfortunately, Jack hadn’t ‘accidentally’ lost Alexia in the crowds, and she was bouncing along right beside him. I turned my attention forward again, nodding a quick greeting to the man standing outside the door. If it was a wizard-only restaurant, I’m sure a quick glance at Malfoy’s hair would get us through the door.

“I’ll need four seats for Malfoy,” Malfoy said rather irritatedly, the poor hostess nearly quivering under his intense glare. She was dressed incredibly nicely, her hair pulled back from her face in a fancy twist.

“I’m sorry, sir. We’re booked full, with the holiday and everythin-” she squeaked out, but Malfoy already had a response ready. And one that I practically mouthed along with him.

“If you’re as well-educated as you appear to be, then you’ll know who my father is. And just how angry he’ll be when he hears of this. What a shame it would be, if this place went under. Our contributions to this restaurant pay your salary, if you’ve forgotten,” Malfoy snapped back pointedly, and my hand instinctively came to rest on his upper arm. The hostess looked like she wanted nothing more than for the ground to swallow her whole, but she started to gather four menus as she nodded her head frantically.

“Of course, I apologize profusely for the misunderstanding,” she lowered her gaze to the floor as she clutched the menus to her chest. I sent her a sympathetic smile, but there was no way she would’ve seen it as she began to lead us to a table in the back corner of the restaurant.

“What crawled up your ass and died?” I murmured to Malfoy, my words clearly inappropriate for a place of this caliber. He sighed as we rounded a table, following the girl who had nearly sprinted to our table.

“Alexia’s already on my nerves, I didn’t mean to snap. Besides, I wouldn’t have done that if it was just us two,” he admitted, glancing down at me. I watched people’s reactions as we continued down the aisle, sending a glare towards a woman who sneered at me.

“The hostess doesn’t know that, you dick,” I scoffed, picking up my pace a bit so I was walking in front of Malfoy. No part of me wanted to fight tonight, so I decided to physically distance myself from him for the rest of the short walk. I heard him groan exasperatedly behind me, but he bit his tongue. He’d probably leave a hefty tip as a weird form of apology at the end of the night.

The restaurant was beyond elegant. It was luxurious and swanky, and one that I’m sure the Malfoy family frequented often. The ceilings were tall and domed, and the windows stretched the height of the walls, but were partially covered by white curtains. Several chandeliers lit the room, and soft music drifted through the air. The clinking of drinking glasses could be heard from table to table, and faint conversations joined in.

When we finally reached our table, it was tucked away from the murmur of the other patrons. Out the window was a perfect view of the bridge, and I grew curious as to if Malfoy had planned for us to stay here the entire night. An additional table had been spelled over by someone, two more place settings floating down as we approached.

Surrounding candles offered a gentle light that basked over the table, the already filled water glasses glimmering. I had begun to shake off my coat when Malfoy’s hands knocked mine away, instead sliding the sleeves down my arms for me.

I stayed silent while Malfoy pulled out a chair next to the window, gesturing for me to sit down. He always knew I preferred the window seat, like I had in Herbology. I muttered a quick ‘thanks’ as I sat, straightening my posture in an effort to look like I knew what I was doing in an expensive restaurant. I’m sure Malfoy ate at places like this all the time. Jack too, even.

Malfoy started to pull out the chair beside me for himself when Alexia interrupted him. “Oh, you’re too funny, Draco. Hasn’t your mother taught you anything?” 

Ah, insulting Narcissa. Way to go, Alexia. 

I watched nervously as Malfoy stood back up, his hands gripping the back of the chair tightly. The hostess was long gone, the menus thrown haphazardly on the table before she high-tailed it out of here.

“I beg your pardon?” he responded simply. Honestly, it was a bit more reserved than I would’ve expected from him, especially given Alexia’s jab towards his mother.

“At extravagant, _pure-blood_ dinners,” she paused, her gaze flicking to me. I cocked my head tauntingly, just begging her to continue. I had made the assumption Alexia previously knew my blood status. And I was glaringly wrong. “Couples sit diagonally across from one another. So, Jack will take the seat alongside Olive, and you and I will sit on this side. Of course, it depends on if Olive is, in fact, of pure blood.”

A sharp inhale came from Jack, and Malfoy looked like he was ready to wring Alexia’s neck. I stared back at her, my eyes narrowing as I said the first thing that came to mind. “I am, _in fact_. However, Alexia, I thank God everyday that my blood is not as stale as yours.”

Her eyes morphed into slits, her lips pursed angrily as she glared back at me. “It’s settled, then.” The response was huffed out, and Malfoy and Jack exchanged places. She stood dumbfounded on her feet as Malfoy sat down, immediately busying himself with the menu. Alexia had clearly expected him to pull out her chair.

Teasingly, I pouted out my bottom lip as she sat down after a moment of awkwardly standing. Jack propped the menu up on the table, hiding his face from the other two as he looked to me.

“I owe you and Malfoy big time,” he whispered, and I felt a small smirk form on my face. “She’s crazy, showed up at my doorstep and everything. Mum said she would ground me if I didn’t go.”

That was the answer that I had been yearning for all night, the reassurance that Jack didn’t actually like Alexia. I murmured back that it was okay, that Malfoy and I didn’t mind. Now, we could have some fun.

The four of us looked over the menu mostly in silence, though small snickers were exchanged between Jack and I whenever he made a snide remark, or when I rolled my eyes when Alexia pretended not to know how to pronounce something. A Hogwarts education didn’t provide everything, I suppose.

Malfoy and I shared fleeting gazes, his eyes softening whenever they held mine. I continued to slide him small smiles, letting him know I wasn’t angry about earlier. I simply didn’t have the energy to be, Alexia had soaked up too much of it.

“I didn’t know you and Olive were dating, Draco,” Alexia spoke after we put in our orders. My stomach was grumbling already at the thought of fettuccine, but it quickly seized up at her sheer stupidity.

“Must be blind, then,” Malfoy shrugged, propping his elbow on the table. A clear disregard for commonly known table etiquette. His fingertip gently traced the rim of his glass repetitively, his face holding a clear disinterest in whatever Alexia had to say.

“Draco doesn’t date, you must know that,” she continued on, now turning her attention to meet mine. I raised an eyebrow, leaning back into my chair as my arms crossed. Jack shifted as well, resting the crook between his head and neck against the back of the chair as he looked from me to Alexia.

“Happy to be the first, then,” I mirrored Malfoy’s nonchalance, raising my shoulders in a shrug. A small smile tugged at his lips when I glanced over, and Alexia looked as mad as ever. God, this was going to be a long night.

I really wanted to use of Snape’s hexes against her, but I knew I shouldn’t. At least not outside Hogwarts’ grounds. Besides, I didn’t even have my wand with me.

It took Alexia a minute, but she bit back with the same amount of venom I was feeding her. “Well, certainly not the last.”

I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep the unspeakable words in. They definitely wouldn’t be ones my mother would be proud of. I couldn’t cause a scene, not in this restaurant. In a flash, Jack’s hand was clasping the back of my chair.

“Shut your mouth if you know what’s good for you,” Malfoy snapped, the sheer ferocity in tone unsettling to even me. Alexia jumped at the sudden comment from beside her. How she could not expect a response like that, especially given her choice of words, was beyond me.

Needless to say, the rest of the time waiting for our dinner was spent in complete silence. It was taking everything in me, every ounce of self-control and more, to not leap across the table and strangle Alexia. I prayed, for the love of God, that I wouldn’t have to see her face once we returned to school. 

I immersed myself in my pasta once it was sitting in front of me, trying to chow down as elegantly as I could. It was heaven, the sauce perfectly, well, saucy. Malfoy and I had to come back here, alone. Jack had gotten some chicken dish, busying himself with cutting it up so he could avoid Alexia’s expectant gaze.

When it got to be too much, he dropped his utensils down on his plate, his wrists resting on the edge of the table. “What is it, Alexia?”

“Aren’t you going to cut up my chicken?” she pouted, her hands exaggeratedly rubbing her arms, like she was too weak to do so.

“Are you a child?” Jack snipped, arching an eyebrow as he waited for her response.

Alexia became flustered, looking from her dinner to Jack. “Well, no-”

“Then no.”

Malfoy raised his water glass to his lips to stifle a snicker, and I did the same with my napkin. Patting the corners of my lips like my mother had taught me, I swiftly brought the material back down to my lap.

Alexia huffed, but she eventually started to saw away at the hunk of meat. Rather unladylike, might I add, given the way she had stabbed her fork into the flesh. Malfoy eyed her cautiously, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as she drove her arm back and forth in determination.

Dinner was ate up quickly, the four of us soon left with empty plates. Sitting alongside Jack was as comfortable as it had ever been, but I could sense the tension between Malfoy and Alexia. He clearly wasn’t as into her as she had presumed.

As the waiter cleared the table with a flick of his wand, he raised the question of dessert. Malfoy, knowing me like the back of his hand, nodded immediately, taking the smaller leather-bounded menu from the man before he left.

Jack and I huddled together as we poured over the choices, Jack biting down jokingly on his knuckles as I read the ingredients aloud. Malfoy watched with interest, and when Jack and I finished, I passed the menu back to him.

“Olive and I want cheesecake,” Jack said pointedly, firmly nodding once as an additional form of confirmation. I laughed with him, Malfoy chuckling as he agreed.

I was just begging Alexia to make a snide comment, something about my weight like she had in the tube. But, surprisingly, she stayed quiet. Like she had finally learned her place among the four of us. Not that she had one, but you know what I mean.

Minutes later, an array of cheesecake slices and fruit was spread out down the middle of the table. It was different from what the menu had described, so I wondered if Malfoy had something to do with it.

“Sweet Merlin, you’ve got to try the raspberry one, Olive,” Jack said through a mouthful of said cheesecake. Malfoy was making his way through a chocolate-swirled slice of his own, leaning back in his chair as his fork cut through the cheesecake absentmindedly.

Jack had already prepared a bite for me, holding out a forkful of cake with his hand cupped beneath it. Raspberry jelly of some sort had started to drip down the side, so I hurriedly took it into my mouth. He was right, it was absolutely decadent and had the perfect amount of richness. The filling melted in my mouth, the crust soon to follow.

If Malfoy was jealous, which was doubtful, Alexia had soaked it up. She was brimming with rage, her grip on her fork tightening as she glared between Jack and I.

“So you’ll feed her?” she seethed, and I took my time swallowing my bite. In a clear taunt, the fingertip of my middle finger came to swipe at the corner of my mouth as if to brush off any extra crumbs. As an extra _fuck-you_ , I let my other fingers curl into my palm so only my middle finger was extended.

“Maybe you aren’t blind,” Malfoy said slowly, interjecting his opinion into the mess. The prongs of his fork dragged along the top of his slice, creating four shallow welts in its wake.

“I need to use the ladies’ room before we leave,” Alexia finally huffed, snatching her napkin from her lap and nearly throwing it onto the table. She spun on her heel, and marched down the aisle away from us. I had seen the sign for the restrooms when we entered, she was going the wrong way.

“Jesus _Christ_ ,” I breathed out, leaning forward into the table. Jack let out a full-bodied laugh, earning himself a glare from a table a few meters away.

“Honestly, mate, I owe you one,” Jack told Malfoy, sighing in exasperation. “Dinner’s on me, I insist.”

Malfoy only shook his head, setting his fork back down on the plate. “It’s already on my father’s tab.”

Jack rushed out another apology, claiming that he was bringing Malfoy to every Cannons match ever. The three of us fell back into our normal selves, our laughter ringing loudly throughout our corner of the restaurant. Malfoy even extended his leg so our ankles were pressed against one another. I wished for more contact, but given the diagonal seating, this was the extent that we could do.

“Honestly, Malfoy, you’ve got to try this,” I practically moaned out after I swallowed another bite of the raspberry cheesecake. Quickly, I scooped up a bite on my fork, standing up so I could lean over the table. I’m sure he had already had it in the past.

Carefully, I guided the fork into his mouth, his eyes flicking up to meet mine as he closed his lips around the cake. Mine, on the other hand, parted under his intense gaze, and I found myself completely stationary until he tugged the fork out of his mouth. I snapped back into reality, blushing slightly as I sat back down beside Jack. 

With the cheque already taken care of thanks to Mr. Malfoy’s tab, the four of us soon found ourselves paired up again. Malfoy helped me into my coat, even going so far as to button it up for me. Midnight was still over an hour away, but the party was only growing outside.

A brisk walk took us down the river, and we came across a barren stretch of grass. Which was surprising, given the amount of people out celebrating. I still dragged Malfoy over to a bench, plopping down next to him so we could stare out onto the river. The streetlights were illuminating the bridge, reflecting on the water’s surface. I felt like Malfoy and I were the only people in the world, the surrounding craziness fading away into a faint buzzing.

Jack and Alexia took a seat on the grass in front of us, though their conversation was distant. Malfoy naturally slung his arm over my shoulders, pulling me into him. It was a bit colder than it had felt earlier. Probably due to the fact we were away from the crowds, off in our little world.

“Happy New Year, Wilkinson,” Malfoy murmured into my hair, and I could feel the way his mouth curved into a smile. A small chuckle escaped my lips, echoing his words immediately.

“Fireworks at midnight?” I asked to confirm, resting my cheek against his shoulder and staring out past Jack and Alexia. No part of me wanted to return to the world of lectures and essays and homework.

“Like clockwork,” Malfoy smirked, his gaze flicking to Big Ben, who told us we had just under an hour. I smiled, nuzzling further into his warmth. It had taken me all night, for some reason, but I finally realized that he was wearing the sweater I had gotten him for Christmas.

If I could stay like this forever with him, I’d be perfectly content.

But, of course, that was too much to ask.

I ripped my cheek from Malfoy’s shoulders when collective screaming took the place of the crowd’s celebratory whooping and laughter. He straightened as well, and the two of us stood in a fluid motion. Malfoy grabbed onto my arm protectively, his eyes desperately searching the crowd for the reason.

I think I saw it first. Malfoy’s head was still whipping around frantically, swiveling on his neck for the source of the terror. The black fog - well, I’m not sure if I could call it fog, but I was too terrified to think of a better descriptor - swirled its way under the bridge, spiraling up and around each cable bond. It was like it was cognizant, extremely similar to a snake’s natural movement of winding its way around something.

Not able to form words, I groped at Malfoy’s arms until he followed my gaze to the bridge. A switch flipped inside him instantaneously, pushing me behind him as he assessed the fog with parted lips and furrowed eyebrows.

And I was finally able to look towards Jack and Alexia. 

But only to see Jack hunched over the grass, one hand clutching his left forearm tightly as he let out muffled cries of pain.


	67. chapter sixty-three

I suppose I didn’t really think about what I did before I did it.

All I could register was that my friend was in pain, and that the girl with him was doing absolutely nothing about it.

So, I ripped myself from Malfoy’s grip. It was rather easy, he was too engrossed with watching the bridge to notice that his hold was faltering with each second. He did turn, though, the moment I slipped from behind him. I didn’t see it.

Jack was still on the ground, his shoulders rounded as another muffled yelp escaped his mouth. He was biting down on the collar of his coat, though I’m sure his winces and grunts would’ve been easily muted by the ensuing chaos around us. 

Alexia, who looked even more dumbfounded than usual, was standing, both her hands in her hair as she stared down at him. Her gaze snapped up when another collective scream rumbled through the crowd, capturing her attention for a moment.

I dropped down to my knees beside Jack the instant I got to him. My hands didn’t know where to go, so they hovered over him as I tried to assess what was happening. It was hard, and with all the shouting and mayhem, it took me longer than it should’ve.

Jack twisted his neck towards me, the glossy tears dancing along his lashline. My lips parted, but I still couldn’t think of anything to say. Nothing that felt right, that is.

“S-She doesn’t know, Olive-” Jack sucked in a breath and gripped his arm tighter. He adjusted his palm so it was covering the lower part of the Dark Mark that was peeping out. It wouldn’t take a genius, though, to guess what was going on with him. The fog, the sudden clouds, his incessant hold on his forearm. They all pointed to one thing.

“Please, d-don’t let her-” he continued through a pained mumble. I shook my head frantically, my hands finally finding one place on his shoulder, and another on top of his forearm. Quickly, I looked up to see Alexia with an extremely frightened look on her face. Then she just spun on her heel and bolted off. I didn’t care to see where.

“Do you have to - uh -” I glanced up at the growing dark clouds, not sure how to phrase the question. Jack caught on immediately, like he could read my mind.

“I dunno,” he whispered, his shoulders shuddering as he inhaled another sharp breath.

I tried to block out Jack’s whimpers and quiet cries as I turned completely around, back to where I had been sitting with Malfoy. But he was just, well, gone. No sign of him, no glimpse of blonde hair in the crowd.

It was just Jack and I alone, knelt down on oddly wet grass while chaos ensued around us. The crowd hadn’t settled in the slightest. People ducked into shops and restaurants, frantic screaming and shouting as they tried to find safety. Children were wailing, parents yelling as they tried to direct their families through a door. I felt a tug in my heart when I realized that most here were probably Muggles, completely unknowing of what the attack truly was.

And my stomach sunk at the reminder that I, at the very least, was wandless. I didn’t know if Jack had brought his, but I doubted he could do anything anyways. His current state was enough of a hindrance.

“Malfoy?” Jack said through gritted teeth, though his grip on his forearm had lessened. His voice brought me back out of my head, and I blinked a few times as I shook my head. I had to at least try to think rationally. Freaking out probably wasn’t the best option.

“Gone, I dunno where. Same with Alexia, she just split,” I looked in the direction that she had left in, but she was too far gone to see.

Jack drew in a shaky breath, completely retreating his hand from his arm. The mark had stopped wriggling. He looked back at me, and then over to the bridge. Which, by this point, was eerily normal. No fog, no twisty wisps, no nothing.

The screaming had died down, and the air felt still. Too still. It was like it had never happened.

Jack stood up slowly, offering me a hand so we were soon standing side-by-side, watching the bridge.

“Wand?” he asked.

I simply shook my head.

“Me either.”

Well, that wasn’t exactly reassuring. My eyes narrowed as I shifted back and forth on my feet, as if I would get a better grip on the situation if I could stand in the right orientation. I couldn’t even tell if it actually happened, given the near serenity we were expecting now. And where was Malfoy? Surely, he wouldn’t have just ran away. He especially wouldn’t have left Jack and I alone with Alexia.

“Rather good thing I’ve got one then.”

I knew who it was without having to turn around. 

Jack turned first, and I took one lingering look at the bridge before I followed suit. Malfoy was approaching over the grass, teasingly his wand spinning through his fingers. Took him long enough.

A smile immediately spread over my face and I sprinted the rest of the way to him, jumping into his waiting arms. I wrapped mine around his neck tightly, nuzzling my face into his neck as I hooked my legs around his waist.

“Where were you?” I sighed, slipping off of him. He smiled down at me, though the grin began to falter as his mind clearly started to race. The twitch in his eyebrow told me so.

“I said I was going to the restroom,” he said slowly, like he was convincing me. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion and I took a small step back. His hands stayed on my shoulders, though, gripping just a bit too tightly. Much tighter than Malfoy ever held me. I let my gaze fall to the wand that was sticking out of his coat pocket. That wasn’t -

“That’s not Malfoy’s wand, Olive!” I heard Jack yell from behind me, and the puzzle finally completed itself. Beginning to backpedal out of Malfoy’s - or whoever it was - grip, my feet caught on a small bump in the grass and I fell backwards. 

“Always have to ruin the fun, don’t you Jack?” he scoffed, and I clambered to my feet and over to Jack’s side. He protectively tried to push me behind him like the real Malfoy had earlier, though Jack winced in pain when his forearm twisted.

I watched with wide eyes as the blonde hair I loved turned to dark brown, the piercing eyes to dark ones. The coat gave way to black robes, the fair skin to an olive hue.

I hadn’t heard the voice in months, but the timbre and the accent was seared into my memory. And I had been fooled by something as simple as a polyjuice potion.

“‘ _They’ve had enough! Don’t you see how much we’re hurting them? They’re first-years for Merlin’s sake!_ ’” Ivan started to mock Jack’s past, his hands flipping through the hair for emphasis. “Who gives a rat’s arse about some first-years, honestly.”

The bile in my throat began to rise without a conscious go-ahead from me, and I turned away as I brought a hand up to my mouth. Jack’s composure shook violently beside me, obviously fuming with rage as he stared back at Ivan.

“Good Merlin, Olive. Get a grip,” Ivan rolled his eyes, and began to twirl his wand back between his fingers. If he wasn’t Malfoy, then where was the real one?

“You hurt her, I swear to Merlin, Iv-” Jack started at him, his hands curling into fists at his sides. He didn’t get more than three steps when Ivan threw a spell at him.

“ _Crucio_!” Ivan called. I shrieked as the red stream of light hit Jack directly in the chest. The force Ivan put behind the curse knocked Jack backwards a few feet, where he landed on his back and immediately began to contort and twist under the curse.

It was like I was in shock. Or perhaps helpless was the better word for it, as I could do nothing but gawk at Jack for a few seconds. Nothing was registering in my mind. A few grunts and groans escaped Jack, which didn’t align with what I had learned about the _Cruciatus_ curse in Dark Arts. He was supposed to be screaming with all his might, screeching at the top of his lungs.

So, naturally, my mind slipped to a much darker place than it needed to be in right now. Jack’s spine continued to warp and buckle as he thrashed about on the ground. Ivan held the curse, his eyes lighting up in pure enjoyment as he held his old friend’s life in his hands.

I wasn’t sure it was possible, but Jack could have trained himself to endure the _Cruciatus_ curse. I didn’t have a textbook on me to educate me otherwise, so it was the most believable theory I had. Or maybe it had something to do with Ivan and his friends when they were all younger, that they had indeed performed the Unforgivable on Jack and he had grown used to it.

“ _Stop_!” I suddenly screamed. Honestly, I don’t know why it had taken me this long, anyways. I had been frozen in fear, but I knew that wasn’t an excuse. Ivan only laughed at my weak protest. “Stop it! You’re going to kill him!”

I spun back around to face Ivan, my own hands clenching into fists as I glared at him. Narrowing my eyes, I practically dared him to redirect his curse, to set it on me instead. But he didn’t, keeping his hold steady on Jack’s chest. Frantically, I looked back down at Jack, seeing that his eyes had rolled into the back of his head.

“I said _stop_ , you worthless cunt!” I screamed at Ivan, lunging myself at him. I guess he hadn’t expected me to do something like that. It was fitting, I suppose, that he underestimated me. Never really struck me as a particularly open-minded person. In a second flat, I had sent Ivan stumbling back a few paces, and the red stream had finally broken. Our scuffle somehow earned me a few cuts to my face, one slicing through my eyebrow and the others adorning my cheekbone and bottom lip.

Jack laid there, on his back, his eyes now closed. His knees were bent at grotesque angles, one of his wrists snapped hard to the right. His head lolled to the left, his cheek resting on the grass as all four limbs splayed out around his body. Just like how my parents had looked. Peaceful, but so, so cold at the same time.

My lips parted in horror as my eyes swept Jack numerous times. I immediately straightened when I felt Ivan’s presence over my shoulder, the tip of his wand dug into the small of my back. God, where were you Malfoy.

“That blood traitor got what he deserved,” Ivan sneered, glaring at Jack’s limp body. I made a move towards him, but Ivan wrapped a hand around my upper arm and pulled me back into his chest. Raising my chin, I grinded my teeth together as I inhaled a deep breath.

“I was sent to get Jack, but now I’ve got you, my lovely Olive, all alone. Malfoy couldn’t be here, hm?” Ivan continued in a condescending tone, digging his wand further into my back. My mind was racing for anything I could do, or say, but I knew I had to bite my tongue. Ivan was too powerful to resist without a wand.

“I thought, perhaps, maybe you and Jack were an item, now. Y’know, behind Malfoy’s back? But sweet Merlin, I saw that fine piece of ass Jack’s got himself. Alexandra, I believe her name is?” Ivan laughed, but the sound was hollow and lifeless. I testingly shifted in his grip, but it only made him clamp down his hold even tighter. Fuck.

C’mon, Malfoy. I shut my eyes, focusing all my thoughts to him as if that would trigger something within him.

My attempts were cut short by the feeling of Ivan’s hot breath over my face, and I could practically hear the snarl he was talking through.

“Never mind her name, though. She should really reconsider consuming that much cheesecake, however, if she wants to compete with you, darling,” Ivan sleazed, and I swallowed thickly. He had been in the restaurant, and none of us had noticed.

“I bet you’re curious about the whole polyjuice thing, aren’t you?” I tensed my jaw, inhaling a sharp breath through my nose. Truthfully, I was, but I would never admit it to Ivan. “Well, _things_ , shall we say, happened between Jack and I this past summer. Mostly his Dark Mark, but you already know that, don’t you?” Ivan tightened his grip on my arm, his fingers painfully digging into my arm.

Ivan let out a hollow laugh. “He doesn’t trust me like he used to, and it’s all your fault, you little bitch,” My heart had begun to thump in my chest, battering against my ribcage. “But I was certain Jack would go along with _Malfoy_ , out of all people. So, polyjuice it was. I will say, I definitely wasn’t expecting _you_ to be with Jack. But, perhaps, maybe you’ll be more valuable for tonight. A little mix-up couldn’t hurt.”

“I’m sure you already know this, but there’s this special little thing you can do at age seventeen. In the wizarding world, that is,” Ivan continued. I looked back at Jack, who hadn’t twitched a muscle. He had to be alive, he just had to be. I didn’t even realize tears had begun to roll down my face until the taste of salt slipped into my mouth.

Ivan chuckled at the sign of weakness, and he let my arm go. Before I could even register the absence of his touch, his fingers found a new role, brushing the hair out of my face. His grimy, dirty, non-Malfoy fingers. I turned my head away at the feeling, squeezing my eyes shut.

“Please,” I whispered, but Ivan only gripped my arm again.

“Now, I hope I’ll get you there in one piece. I’ll admit I’m not all that experienced with Side-Along,” Ivan grumbled lowly, the slightest bit of demented humor in his tone. My stomach seized at the thought of being torn up during an Apparition. I couldn’t leave Jack here alone, battered and bruised alongside the river.

I didn’t even get the chance to object before I felt the hook behind my belly button, and the bridge, and Jack, became nothing but a swirl behind my eyelids.

If I felt like I was going to vomit when Ivan finally revealed himself, I really had to vomit once my feet were standing firmly on the ground. Keeling over, I ripped my arm from Ivan’s grasp and let it out. Once I had finished, my eyes focused on the oddly familiar finish of the wood floors. The clean part, of course.

Slowly, my eyes traveled up the wall, and up to the chandelier that was hanging above us. Ivan had taken me to the Malfoy Manor. And for what reason, I didn’t know. But I had a feeling it wasn’t for more of Narcissa’s cookies.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I turned back to Ivan, who had his nose turned up at me. Rolling my eyes, I quickly swiped my hand over his robes, making sure to rub in any residual vomit. The bastard deserved it.

If I was in the Malfoy Manor, then there was a chance Malfoy was waiting for me behind one of these doors. 

“C’mon,” Ivan said gruffly, grasping my upper arm tightly as he walked by. I was tugged alongside him, and although no matter how hard I dug my heels into the ground, we kept on down the hallway. The cuts on my face stung and throbbed, desperately whining for medical attention. My hair, which I had curled neatly before dinner, was mussed and tangled.

The only thing that was keeping my head up was the slightest chance of catching Malfoy’s eyes with mine.

Which was exactly what I received when Ivan practically shoved me into the Malfoy’s grand dining room. I was met with several Death Eaters, each and every identity revealed as their masks were forgotten. My heart skipped a beat, and not in the good way, at the sight of Snape sitting at the table. He _was_ a Death Eater, after all. And he looked equally as surprised to see me, though he kept his reaction much more discrete, more reserved. A simple eyebrow twitch told me I was the last thing he had expected to see walk through the door.

Malfoy sat to the right of his father, his gaze flicking between me and Ivan as Ivan pushed me towards the table. First, his eyes widened as big as the plates we ate off at Hogwarts. Then they narrowed as he leaned over and muttered something to his father. Malfoy’s jaw tightened, the muscles in his face rippling from his temple to his jawline. 

There were two empty seats in a row, and I recognized Ivan’s parents sitting in the leftmost chairs that cushioned those free spots. Jack’s parents sat on the other side. But Malfoy was okay, and that was all that mattered. I still was mad at him for leaving us earlier, but we’d fight about that later.

Two empty chairs. One for Ivan, one for Jack. But Jack wasn’t here, so I’d be filling that spot.

“Ivan,” his father said slowly, looking from his son to me. “Why have you brought Miss Wilkinson?”

“Couldn’t find Jack,” Ivan replied. “Thought it was rather rude that Malfoy left a _friend_ behind. Figured I’d bring her here instead of leaving her alone in London. Heard something about the underground behind shut down for a couple hours.”

Part of me was genuinely surprised Ivan hadn’t mentioned Malfoy and I’s relationship. Maybe he did have the smallest bit of humanity inside him.

Mr. Levski still looked skeptical, but he raised his eyebrows in eventual agreement. “Well, s’pose you’re getting the hang of Side-Along.”

My eyes widened at Mr. Levski’s sheer stupidity, and I felt a need to point out the cuts that were still stinging and the dried vomit on my sleeve. I’m sure I looked like hell.

“What about Jack, dear? You couldn’t find him?” My head spun to the right when Jack’s mother spoke up, but her eyes were laid on Ivan. My gut twisted at the thought of her not knowing of Jack and Ivan’s relationship. 

Ivan cleared his throat, and I felt the tip of his wand poke into my back again, like a threat to keep me from speaking. I couldn’t see him, but Malfoy’s spine stiffened when he saw it. Narcissa’s did too, but she quickly masked it by readjusting her shoulders.

“Didn’t see him. Sorry, Miss Simmons,” Ivan shrugged with such nonchalance that I started to feel physically sick again. My knees began to go weak, and I grasped onto the back of the chair in front of me.

I felt Ivan retract his wand, pulling out my chair for me in a show of fake courtesy. Avoiding his, and Malfoy’s, gaze, I sat down, immediately bending my neck so I could hide my face from the others. I just needed time to think, and I hadn’t gotten that luxury since we left the restaurant. It seemed like it was years ago, that I was eating cheesecake with Jack and watching Christmas movies with Malfoy. Not hours.

Closing my eyes, I urged my brain to move just a bit faster. From what I had learned in Dark Arts, the _Cruciatus_ curse couldn’t _directly_ kill. Indirectly, sure. But Jack wasn’t doing anything dangerous, or life-threatening, in the moments before Ivan cast the curse. He wasn’t walking along the top cables of the bridge, he wasn’t in a burning building. Ivan’s use of the curse didn’t impede Jack’s ability to get out of a deadly situation.

He was on the grass. He was on the grass. _He was on the grass_.

I had to remind myself over and over until I finally started to believe that Jack was alive. Knocked out, obviously. But alive.

But _why_ did Ivan take me? Were they expecting me to be alone with Malfoy, and Jack with Alexia? I suppose we didn’t cross paths at all until the platform. If Alexia had never seen Malfoy, none of this would’ve happened.

I opened my eyes slowly. My head was lifted next, and I finally brought my gaze to meet Malfoy’s. As I had expected, he was already looking at me, though his attention flicked elsewhere every few seconds. Like he was pretending he wasn’t looking towards me, maybe. He mouthed something, but my vision was blurry and I couldn’t catch it.

Malfoy’s eyes, even across the table and down a few seats, had never held this much visible emotion. His furrowed eyebrows paired the gentle squinting of his eyes, obviously very concerned as to what had happened to me. Malfoy also looked extremely sorrowful, and I just knew he was beating himself up on the inside. I couldn’t expect him to do anything, our relationship was still a secret from his parents. Plus, we were sitting with an assload of Death Eaters.

I let my gaze fall to the table. As I brought my fingers to gingerly trace over the cuts, I could feel Mr. Malfoy’s intense gaze combine with his son’s. I winced in pain when the warm skin of my fingertips brushed over a particularly deep cut, the one over my cheekbone. The fact I kept licking my drying lips probably wasn’t beneficial for the laceration on my lip, either.

No one cared at the table. I wasn’t expecting them to, I suppose, but it was odd. There was a young girl, clearly in pain and also very confused, yet not a single person made a move to help. It was dead silent. So silent, in fact, I swore that I could hear a house-elf cleaning up in the hallway.

I’d say Ivan fit in perfectly to a group of heartless souls.

My head shot up when Mr. Malfoy cleared his throat. I had found myself in a Death Eater meeting.

“The Dark Lord will not be joining us tonight,” he started, and a murmur traveled up and down the table. I snuck a glance at Malfoy, but he was watching his father. “He’s still gathering his strength in an undisclosed location.”

Honestly, I don’t know what I would’ve done if You-Know-Who were to walk through those doors, so I found myself closing my eyes in relief. Jack’s mere description of him in the graveyard last summer was enough to frighten me.

“I’ve arranged this meeting for discussion of the prophecy,” Mr. Malfoy continued, his eyes settling on the table in front of him. “The Dark Lord wishes for me to retrieve it from the Ministry. With it, he can finally kill Harry Potter. However, I do not know where it is.”

“My son has relayed the theory of a secret meeting of students at Hogwarts,” one Death Eater piped up, and Mr. Malfoy’s gaze snapped to him. Mine did too, my eyes widening. “No doubt led by Potter. Infiltrate that, you’ve got your prophecy location.”

My heartbeat began to pick up, thumping against my ribcage. I prayed to God no one in the room could hear, I would be dead meat if they could. Or at least interrogated until I was.

“Your son’s a Ravenclaw, what kind of disgrace to the family is that? I don’t believe anything that comes out of that boy’s mouth,” another Death Eater scoffed from across the table, shaking his head. The two men began squabbling for a moment, until they were silenced by Mr. Malfoy clearing his throat again.

“I’m well-aware of that, Avery,” Mr. Malfoy nearly scoffed in disgust, and my thumbs began to fiddle with one another under the table. Nervously, my eyes darted around the room, though they never once landed on Malfoy. I never looked anyone in the eye, rather taking in parts of the dining room I hadn’t last summer. The design over the fireplace, just how many candles were in the chandelier. Anything to keep my mind off of what was currently happening.

Mr. Malfoy opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by a sudden explosion in the other room. My heart immediately began to pound harder, growing afraid that You-Know-Who had decided to make an appearance. The Death Eaters fell silent, everyone’s heads turned toward the door as we awaited the person’s entrance.

What I wasn’t expecting was to see Jack hobble his way in. He was sweating profusely, even more so than after a quidditch match. His hair was matted, dirt and soot smeared over his face and clothing. With each step, I could tell that every joint in his body ached.

He shot a directed glare towards Ivan, but then looked to his mother. Given the amount of soot and fireplace crap all over him, he must’ve found a working Floo network in London. I’m sure there were plenty, I just didn’t know precisely where.

Like we were schoolchildren with Mr. Malfoy as our teacher and Jack as the tardy student, the entire room stayed quiet as Jack came to stand behind me. He winced as his knee joints popped, gripping the top of the chair tightly. I made a move to stand up, to offer Jack my spot, but he immediately pushed my shoulder back down. The wrist that had been snapped was cradled against his chest, and he was careful to not flex it too much. His jaw was tensed, his nostrils flaring with each labored breath.

I really wasn’t expecting Jack to continue to hold my shoulder, holding onto it tightly as Mr. Malfoy began to speak again. I knew it was just for comfort, but it was still a foreign feeling. My heart slowed its hammering, returning to a semi-normal pace.

Mr. Malfoy’s gaze flicked from his son, to Jack, and then finally landed on me. His eyes narrowed in thought, one eyebrow twitching. I shifted under his intense gaze, which only caused Jack to squeeze my shoulder in an assuring manner. His thumb started to swipe back and forth over the exposed skin behind my neck, hidden from the view of others. God, Mr. Malfoy could, in fact, know about Dumbledore’s Army. I wasn’t sure how, but it was possible.

Mr. Malfoy raised his chin as he inhaled a breath, and blinked as he finally looked away.

“You propose an infiltration, Avery?” Mr. Malfoy suddenly said. The man who I had come to know as Avery nodded, clearing his throat before he spoke.

“With all due respect, Lucius, your son couldn’t do it,” Avery started, and was immediately met with a non-verbal challenge from Mr. Malfoy. His eyebrows raised menacingly, his head slightly cocking to the left as he dared the man to continue.

Avery coughed, averting his gaze from Mr. Malfoy’s intense one. “I mean, that’d be too obvious. Even Simmons’ son wouldn’t fit either, him being a Death Eater and all.” 

Jack stiffened behind me, and it was my turn to lean back into his grasp. I knew he didn’t like to be reminded of it, and I could only imagine what crossed his mind every morning when he dressed. 

“Now, I’m not sure who that is, sitting between Simmons and Levski, but she looks like she could slip in right under Potter’s nose. One thing girls are useful for, I suppose,” Avery continued, leaning over the table as he looked at me. I met his gaze for a brief moment, but I soon let it drop to the table. My heart had begun to hammer against my chest once more. So hard, in fact, I feared my ribcage would snap.

There was no way I could do that, go against all my friends in the D.A.. The Weasleys would certainly never talk to me again, Hermione wouldn’t look twice in my direction, and I couldn’t begin to imagine Potter’s disappointment.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to stand up for myself, for once. As much as I hated feeling powerless and scared, that was exactly how I felt in this moment. Nobody would take me seriously, I knew that. I didn’t even know why I was here in the first place.

When I finally brought my gaze up, Malfoy was already looking at me with concern etched all over his features. I couldn’t expect him to speak up. Jack probably wouldn’t, either.

So, the person I least expected to spoke.

“She’s one of my best students. Surely, she wouldn’t be so stupid as to jeopardize her own safety. Especially given what happened to her parents,” Snape said, and my gaze shot to him. The rest of the Death Eaters followed suit, and Snape soon found himself at the center of attention. I noticed, though, that Snape never said my name, never referred to me as anything that would give Avery my identity. I was just a girl, with cuts all over her face and tangled hair sitting at the table.

“What happened to her parents?” Avery asked, his nose drawn into his face in confusion, like he was wondering what that had to do with infiltrating the D.A.. Which, I also noticed, no one had mentioned by name. I had to remind myself it was all a theory, one that Avery’s son had thrown out at the dinner table.

Snape looked to me, like he was waiting for me to answer. My mind was still churning, however, thinking as to how I could spin the situation to my favor. I _could_ go along with their plan, pretend to talk to Potter and claim a group never existed. I think I had seen Avery’s son in classes before, he was a rather annoying, attention-seeking boy. Even the other Death Eater had alluded to the fact. It wouldn’t hurt to use that to my advantage. That William Avery, a fifth-year Ravenclaw, wanted nothing more than to have his busy daddy’s attention.

“Died in a car crash,” Malfoy finally piped up after the dining room sat in a few moments of silence. My head shot up at the sound of his voice, the sound that I had wanted to hear ever since Ivan had tricked Jack and I. I nearly sighed in relief. Malfoy had told the story I told the Muggle world, and, as much as I hated to admit it, some of my wizard friends.

“Merlin’s beard, we have a Mudblood at the table?” Avery scoffed, now very clearly disgusted with my presence. That remark was enough for me to finally speak, though my voice was more hoarse than I would’ve liked.

“I’m a pureblood,” I nearly snapped back, narrowing my eyes in a glare that I directed straight down the table. Jack’s fingers swept back and forth comfortingly, but also as a reminder to bite my tongue.

“Hmph,” Avery simply said, leaning back in his chair. It was a minor victory, but I closed my eyes in relief. I felt exhausted, like I had dueled for hours on end. My mind wouldn’t stop racing, wouldn’t give me a clear thought. Even my fingertips had begun to tingle with anxiety.

“I’ll consider it, Avery. But I need more time to thoroughly think through our mole, who could slip past Potter without him knowing their ulterior motive,” Mr. Malfoy said simply, rubbing over his jaw as he thought. I opened my eyes, though I kept my gaze locked on the table.

I didn’t even realize Mr. Malfoy had ended the meeting until the room was filled with the sounds of chairs scraping against the hardwood floors and the telltale noise of Apparition snaps and pops. I guess the Death Eaters didn’t like to stick around for chatting about family and work.

“Good job, keeping your head down,” Jack muttered into my ear, his eyes scouring the rest of the dining room as he spoke. “I’m sorry about what happened with Ivan.”

I shook my head, reassuring Jack that it was fine. It wasn’t really fine - I did have a few moments where I thought Jack was dead - but in the end, we were both okay. The Levskis shuffled around behind me, and then I heard two distinct cracks, indicating the parents had left the manor.

Jack’s mother caught his attention, profusely worrying about his appearance. The quick distraction gave Ivan the chance to mutter something in my ear. “I hope to see you again, you little bitch.” And with another crack, Ivan disapparated with a disgusting smirk.

At the noise, Jack turned back around, and one hand was quickly laid on my shoulder. “What was that about?” He asked, but I only murmured a quiet “I dunno.” Jack looked skeptical, but he nodded slowly.

Jack didn’t get the chance to say anything more before Malfoy had rounded the table, and had started to tug me away, out of the dining room. In a flash, I grabbed onto Jack’s wrist, and the three of us soon found ourselves in the hallway.

“What the hell-” Malfoy started, but I cut him off.

“Are you okay, Jack?” I rushed out, my eyes immediately sweeping over Jack’s face. Physically, he looked okay - well, as okay as he could be right now - but I could tell each and every bone was aching in his body, given the way he moved. He just nodded, holding up one hand to assure me.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. What happened to you?” Jack gestured to his face, and I sighed. Quickly, I glanced over my shoulder to ensure we didn’t have any unwelcome guests. Malfoy raised an eyebrow, his hands finding a place on his hips as he cocked his head.

“Tackled Ivan when he set the curse. Dunno how I got the cuts, but the curse broke, so that’s all that matters,” I said firmly. Jack’s face fell a bit, the corner of his mouth twitching downwards as he inspected my face. Malfoy started to do the same, and I felt his hand come to rest on my shoulder.

“I thought you died,” I whispered, and my gaze dropped to the floor. Both Malfoy and Jack sucked in a simultaneous breath, which caused me to flinch a bit.

“I didn’t, Olive. I’m here, and you broke the curse, and that’s all that matters, okay?” Jack dipped his head down so he could see my face, repeating the words I had just told him. Sniffling, I nodded as I took a step towards him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

Jack hugged me back tightly, one hand rubbing small circles between my shoulderblades in a comfortable motion.

“Jack, dear?” Mrs. Simmons called from behind us, quietly enough so we weren’t frightened. “Time to go.” She stood tall in her Death Eater robes, her hands delicately clasped in front of her. Mr. Simmons stood behind her, one hand on her shoulder.

I pulled away from Jack, returning his soft smile as he patted my upper arms. “I’ll see you next week, okay?” I nodded again, swallowing thickly as Jack dipped his head towards Malfoy as he passed him. A second later, the Simmons’ had disapparated out of the manor.

I was still staring at the spot they were last when Malfoy gently grabbed ahold of my arm. Blinking a couple times as if to refresh my mind, I brought my gaze up to meet his. Even though I was overjoyed to see him, the real Malfoy in front of me, a surge of anger flooded my veins.

“Where were you?” I snapped, shaking my arm from his hold and stepping back. Malfoy’s face fell, his lips parting as his eyes started to dart around the hallway.

When he didn’t answer, I spoke again. “You just left us alone! All alone during a Death Eater attack. How stupid can you be?” I scoffed, biting down on the corner of my lip as I shook my head. “Imagine how I felt when - when - Jack got _crucio’d_ and Ivan pretended to be you and - and then,” I brought my palms up to press against my eyes. Nothing I was saying was coherent, the timeline was off. 

“And then Ivan makes me apparate with him, and then - then, I come _here_ , out of all places, and you’re just - you’re just sitting there! Next to daddy and mommy Malfoy! Not a single hair out of place and all fresh-faced! Like you just strolled in after dinner! What the hell is that all about?” I threw my hand to the dining room, emphasizing my frustration.

At some point during my rant, my voice had risen to a yell. My hands had begun to frantically tug at my hair, my face flushing a dark red with anger. But Malfoy never made a move to silence me, to pull me into another room. He simply took the hits, and I started to regret what I had said.

“I-I’m sorry. I don’t even know why you left, I’m just making shit up-” I started to apologize, rubbing at my eyes like that would reset my mind. 

“No, don’t apologize, Olive,” Malfoy said, stepping towards me. I let him, though I crossed my arms over my chest. We were hidden in a corner just outside the dining room, and I think most Death Eaters had already left. “My father came, apparated us before I could say anything. Refused to return once we were here. I didn’t know Levski was coming, honest. Merlin, I prayed that you and Simmons had found safety.”

I nearly chuckled at his blatant disregard for Alexia. Not that I had any, but it was still just a bit funny. Cautiously, Malfoy raised one hand to carefully brush some hair out of my face. Afterwards, his fingertips traced underneath each cut, his eyes studying the severity of the lacerations. They weren’t bad, but deep enough to sting with each facial movement.

When his parents left the dining room, Malfoy spun around and I hung my head. It was incredibly clear that my presence was a mistake made by Ivan, and a mistake that was costly to Mr. Malfoy’s reputation. And I’m certain it threw the meeting off-track.

“Miss Wilkinson,” Mr. Malfoy said coolly, though the fire behind his eyes told a different story. He was furious, and I think the only thing keeping his lips together was Narcissa’s touch on his arm.

I swallowed thickly, looking up at him. He continued, both his hands tightly gripping the head of his cane. “Care to explain why Ivan Levski drug you through the doors of _my_ dining room?” His tone wasn’t exactly accusatory, but I still felt guilty.

“Uh - I’m not completely sure, sir. Honest,” I was far more flustered than I would’ve liked to be in front of him, but I figured I could cut myself some slack. In one night, I had gone from watching Christmas movies with Malfoy to seeing Jack get tortured right in front of me. _Jack_. Of course, that was it.

Probably against my better judgment, I interrupted Mr. Malfoy before he could respond. “I think he was supposed to get Jack, and he had taken a polyjuice potion so he looked like Malfoy,” I gestured to his son. “And it was all so confusing-”

“It’s alright, Olive. Take a breath,” Narcissa’s warm, motherly tone seeped into my ears, and I opened my eyes that I hadn’t realized I had closed. I guess I was trying to envision what had happened, trying to remember something I hadn’t noticed in the moment. I looked up to her, and saw she had a gentle smile on her face. When I shifted my gaze to Mr. Malfoy, he appeared to be deeply in thought, like he was trying to figure it out for himself.

I sucked in a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before exhaling. “Ivan...uh...he performed an Unforgivable on Jack. Knocked him out before taking me with him. He said something about me being more valuable, I remember that. I dunno why, I’m sorry.”

Malfoy sighed from beside me, and when I looked to him, he was running a hand over his face. I stood in front of the three of them, wringing my hands together nervously. None of them were saying anything. God, _why_ weren’t they saying anything?

Mr. Malfoy turned on his heel, pulling his wife along with him as they walked down the hallway. My lips parted, watching them leave with no further explanation.

“Don’t worry about it, I’m sure they don’t have an answer either,” Malfoy muttered, though his head was turned to watch them as well. We waited until they had turned into a room, probably an additional study.

“You don’t know how mad I was when I saw you come in looking like this,” Malfoy continued, his thumb swiping over my lip. I placed a halfhearted kiss when the pad brushed back over, too weak and tired to do anything more. “And with Ivan, not Jack. Part of me thought he was dead, too. You weren’t supposed to be here, none of this was supposed to happen.” 

I was surprised Malfoy had admitted that, honestly. Unconsciously, my head leaned into Malfoy’s touch, my eyes fluttering shut. “My face hurts.”

A quiet chuckle bubbled out of Malfoy’s mouth, and he tenderly swiped his thumb over my cheek. “Let’s get you cleaned up, then.” He let his hand slip away from my face, but he immediately took mine in his and began to tug me down the hallway. I noticed it was in the opposite direction his parents had taken.

Our walk was silent, our shoes padding against the hardwood floors. I followed like a puppy, climbing the stairs behind him when we had reached a staircase. Malfoy finally came to a stop when he reached a door near the end of the upstairs hallway. In a swift motion, the door was pushed open and revealed a very large bedroom. His, I assumed.

An incredibly intricate four-poster bed stretched nearly to the ceiling. At first glance, I swore the mattress was twice as wide as mine back at home. Numerous pillows were neatly arranged at the head, though a blanket messily piled in the center. From what I could remember of the manor’s layout, and the direction we had taken from the staircase, Malfoy’s bedroom looked out onto the gardens.

Malfoy cleared his throat, breaking me from my trance. I looked over to see him leaning against the door, though our hands were still loosely clasped. Blinking a few times, I let him lead me further into his bedroom, the door swinging shut behind me. He _accio’d_ his wand from his nightstand, and with a quick flick, the candles in his room were lit all at once.

I let him sit me down on the edge of the bed, though he stayed standing. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if I was there, Olive,” he muttered as his eyes assessed my cuts. “Would’ve ended in me killing him, that’s for sure, but I don’t know how I’d get there.”

His dramatics made me giggle, and I ignored the splitting of the scab on my lip when he chuckled right back. The pain was worth it, to see his eyes light up in joy and his mouth curve into my favorite smile.

“You could always go for the dancing-feet spell,” I teased, remembering Crabbe’s story back in third-year. When Potter had beat Malfoy in a duel with that spell. At the memory, Malfoy rolled his eyes and scoffed.

“Really witty, Wilkinson,” he scowled, though his eyes still held that playful glint. “Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back.” I nodded obediently, beginning to swing my legs back and forth as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. His hand held the back of my head gently, stroking my hair after he had pulled his lips away. I gazed into his eyes as he held still for a moment, looking down at me in his crouched position.

All too soon, he had left me alone in his bedroom, the door shut behind him. With the newfound loneliness, I let my gaze roam around the room. A desk sat in the corner, though it looked like it hadn’t been used in months. Which, I suppose, made sense, with him being at Hogwarts. A few books were stacked on top, shoved into the furthest corner.

His windows were tall yet narrow, long drapes partially hiding the view of outside. A few posters were behind his door, mostly of professional quidditch teams. I guess he had outgrown them.

And sweet _Jesus_ , was his bed comfortable. I laid back, staring up at the ceiling as my hands smoothed over the sheets. Probably the best mattress in all of England, if not the world. Spoiled little bastard.

The door suddenly opened, and I shot back up. It revealed Malfoy, who had a medical kit tucked under his chin as he fiddled with the doorknob. I watched patiently as he approached, biting down on my lip.

“Don’t do that,” he scolded when he noticed, and I let my lip pop free. I only raised an eyebrow before he spoke again. “You’ll fuck up the healing process.”

I nearly laughed, finding it adorable that he was taking the job of cleaning my cuts so seriously. He knelt down in front of me, wedging his way between my legs as he set the kit down on the mattress beside my thighs.

“Merlin, I can’t wait until I get my hands on Levski. Beating up my girl, especially when she’s without a wand? I bet the bastard’s half an inch, at best,” he grumbled as he scoured my face once more, his eyes narrowing as they glazed over the particularly deep one on my cheekbone. Malfoy’s tone immediately dropped to a softer one when he spoke next. “C’mere.”

I scooted as far forward as I could, bending my neck downwards so he had better access. His fingers nimbly flipped through the medical kit, finally settling on a cloth bandage and a small bottle of alcohol. My eyes widened at the sight of the bottle, and I unconsciously started to move away from him. I was brought to a halt though, when one of his hands clamped down on my thigh.

“Don’t you dare. It’s gotta be cleaned, you know that,” Malfoy put on his stern tone again, and I winced when he began to wet the bandage. Closing my eyes, I decided I could only wait until he pressed it to my skin. When he did, I let out the yelp of pain we both knew was coming.

“Christ, Malfoy! That burns like hell,” I whimpered, my hands coming to desperately claw at his arm. Somehow, he held the bandage in place, and I opened my eyes.

“I know, I know. It’ll be over soon,” he murmured, his eyebrows furrowing in worry as I started to pull away. It took a few more swipes of the bandage over the other cuts, but Malfoy was eventually satisfied with the sterilizing portion of cleaning me up.

I sat like a punished child, my shoulders rounded over and a pout on my lips until he had finally plastered bandages over each cut. Like a form of apology, he leaned into me and pressed a quick kiss to each.

“He won’t hurt you ever again, I promise,” he said seriously, his eyes darting between my two. My hands were clasped between his, his thumbs swiping over them protectively.

“Piggie promise?” I replied slyly, raising an eyebrow as I shook one of my hands from his grip and held my pinky finger in the air.

“Piggie promise,” he affirmed, wrapping his pinky around mine. I giggled and leaned forward, pressing another kiss to his lips. The cut on my lip still hurt since, as hard as he tried, Malfoy couldn’t wrap a bandage around my lip.

“Y’know, I’m starting to think they’re not as serious as you made them out to be,” he said slowly, and I cocked my head. “We’ve made too many, that’s all.”

“They’re very serious. Binding, do I need to remind you?” I faked my intensity, but his face didn’t move a muscle.

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that one. I intend to never break it.”

My heart leapt at his sincerity, a warm feeling spreading through my body. It washed from my fingertips all the way down to my toes, filling each and every cell with pure admiration of the boy kneeling in front of me. God, I think I was beginning to -

“What time is it?” I murmured, suddenly remembering that we had most definitely crossed into a new year at some point tonight. Malfoy brought his hand to sweep away some strands of hair, as well as to press down the end of a bandage that kept peeling away whenever I moved my mouth.

“Almost one-thirty,” Malfoy whispered back, now fully cupping my cheek in his palm. I chuckled lightly, closing my eyes again. I wanted nothing more than to be in my own bed, snuggled up warm under my blankets.

“Take me home?”

“Of course.”

Five minutes later, Malfoy had retrieved a spare jumper from his dresser, practically shoving my head and arms through the holes for me. He draped my coat over his arm, but bustled both of us out of the manor before his parents could see. I found myself in a delirious state, taking a second take when the Knight Bus roared down the Malfoy’s driveway.

“Sweet Merlin, didn’t think I’d be picking up at the Malfoy Manor tonight-” the driver commented once the doors swung open, but Malfoy swiftly cut him off.

“Shut up.”

I began to apologize for Malfoy’s indecent behavior, but Malfoy had already started to guide me down the aisleway of the bus. A moment later, we had dropped into two seats, me by the window like always.

Even in the craziness of the bus ride, Malfoy and I rode in silence. My hand had busied itself with playing with his, interlacing and unlacing our fingers, fiddling with his rings, whatever would keep me awake. I smiled when I saw the one from Christmas, nestled right under his family crest. I’m sure the Knight Bus wasn’t Malfoy’s first preference, but it was the quickest and, dare I say, safest journey back to my house.

I nearly had to pull Malfoy through the front door once we approached. He had claimed that he only came to drop me off, that I needed my rest. I adamantly declined, insisting that he had to come in. And, like always, I won the small argument and Malfoy found himself in my living room for the second time in twelve hours. 

Aunt Beth was leaning over the railing a split second after the door shut, her robe drawn tightly around her. She rushed out that she had heard of the events at the Embankment, and I just as quickly reassured her that we were fine. Malfoy just stood awkwardly as we talked, shifting from one foot to the other. I guess with the combination of the low light and her being too far away to see, Aunt Beth didn’t notice my face, and wished me a goodnight before she returned to her bedroom.

Holding a finger to my lips, I grabbed onto Malfoy’s hand and pulled him upstairs, careful to keep an eye on my aunt’s door. A few seconds later, I was looking at a sight I never would’ve expected. Draco Malfoy, standing with his hands in his pockets, in my childhood bedroom.

“Thanks for the accompaniment home, Mr. Malfoy,” I teased as I shut my door, flicking the light on afterwards. Malfoy only rolled his eyes playfully, but he set down my coat on a chair before opening his arms.

“Anytime, Miss Wilkinson,” he played along, pressing a kiss to the top of my head once I was settled in his hold. I hummed happily, closing my eyes as I nuzzled my cheek into his chest. He was still wearing his clothes from earlier, the sweater I had bought him for Christmas. It had slowly started to change from that God-awful store stench to smelling like his cologne.

I tightened my grip on him, inhaling sharply. It had scared me more than I’d like to admit, when Ivan tricked me using the polyjuice. I had so easily, so naturally, run into Malfoy’s arms, and it wasn’t even him.

“Will you stay tonight? Please?” I whispered, my words partially muffled by his sweater. I felt Malfoy’s muscles tighten under my grip, and his hand paused from where it was rubbing my back.

“I dunno, Wilkinson. My parents, you know-”

“Please, Draco,” I mustered the biggest puppy dog eyes I could before I leaned back, looking up at him with a pouted lip. It didn’t take long until he agreed, his uncertainty soon giving way to a gentle enthusiasm.

I pushed myself up onto the balls of my feet to plant a quick kiss to his cheek. “D’you need pants?” I asked genuinely, slipping around him so I could get to my dresser.

“Pants?” He repeated dumbly, spinning on his heel so his eyes could follow me.

“Well, you don’t sleep in dress trousers, do you?” I questioned, beginning to rifle through the top drawer. I had done laundry recently, they should be in here-

“I don’t really want to wear your pants, Wilk,” he said slowly, carefully. “I mean, I don’t think they’d even fit.”

I rolled my eyes but found the exact plaid pair I was looking for. “They’re men’s, relax,” I said as I tossed the folded sleeping pants towards him. He caught them swiftly, probably the Seeker part of his brain kicking in.

Like he wasn’t even there, I reached up my back, unclasping my bra hook. I could hear him stifle something - a cough, perhaps - behind me, and I smirked to myself. With a bit of fussing around with the arms of his jumper, my bra soon slipped out and landed on the floor.

Before I started on my jeans, I shot a question over my shoulder. “Aren’t you going to get dressed? I’m not cuddling you in that coat.”

Malfoy cleared his throat before he muttered a quiet “uh huh,” and I could hear him start to tug down his trousers. I chuckled with my back still to him, undoing the button of my jeans and pulling them down my legs. A pair of pajama shorts were soon on, and I started to at least try to wrangle my hair into a ponytail.

When I looked back around, Malfoy was standing in the pair of plaid cotton pants and the sweater from Christmas. Finishing off my last twist of my hairtie, I slipped past him once more to flip off the lights.

“C’mon,” I nodded my head towards my bed, and it was odd to see him flustered. He rarely was, after all. Always cool and collected, sometimes hot-headed. But never outwardly nervous.

“Right,” he muttered, more so to himself as he padded over the carpet. I eyed him as I pulled the sheets back, and rearranged the pillows to, hopefully, his liking.

I laid down first, extending one hand when he didn’t immediately follow. It was like my single gesture was enough to calm him down, his shoulders visibly relaxing as he slipped under the sheets with me.

It took a few moments, but we eventually found a comfortable position. Malfoy on his back, me curled into his side with my head on his chest. One of his arms crooked behind his head, the other wrapped protectively around my shoulders.

We laid in silence for a few minutes, our heartbeats slowing to reflect our growing tiredness. I was exhausted. It felt like this day had dragged on for years. Malfoy’s thumb soothingly swept over my shoulderblade, and he hummed some tune under his breath.

“Things are getting bad, aren’t they?” My voice was no louder than a whisper, though I knew Malfoy could hear. The meeting had frightened me, simply put. Malfoy, Jack, and I were all growing up faster than I thought possible, and no matter how hard I wanted them to, my brakes weren’t working. We weren’t worrying about Magical Creatures essays anymore, we were worrying about whether or not we were going to die.

Whenever You-Know-Who finally regained all his strength didn’t matter. I was already terrified of what came after.

“Yeah,” he responded equally as quiet. A gentle sigh escaped his chest, and I wrapped my arm tighter around his stomach. I was about to say something else, but Malfoy had beat me to it.

“I won’t let anyone, or anything, hurt you, you know that, right? Tell me you know that,” Malfoy whispered, and I could hear his heartbeat stop under the sweater. I nodded against the material, my cheek brushing up and down as I curled myself even tighter into my spot.

A satisfied sigh came from Malfoy as soon as I gave him my acknowledgement. “I can’t imagine ever losing you, I don’t know what I’d do. You make me a better person, Olive, I want you to know that. I mean, you make me reconsider things that I never would’ve a year ago.” My heart swelled at the emotional words. It was rare for him to chip away at his ego like this, to reveal his insecurities to me. “So, please, don’t run away from me like that ever again.”

I let out a sad chuckle, turning my head so I could press a kiss to his clothed chest. “I won’t, I promise.” Malfoy’s heart started to beat again, and I felt his fingers come to wrap my hair around his forefinger. The bandage on my cheekbone was rubbing against the material of his sweater, throbbing a little bit. I didn’t particularly care, though, since I was here with him. He smelled incredibly good, too.

“Thank you for staying,” I murmured, feeling Malfoy shift underneath me. “I know it sounds insane, but I just - I just wanted to know you’re real.” I still couldn’t shake Ivan’s impersonation.

“Always,” Malfoy reassured me, lifting his head from the pillow. I felt his lips press a kiss to the top of my head, his touch lingering as he held me even tighter.

“I’m always insane?” I joked light-heartedly, poking a gentle finger into his stomach. He jumped at the sudden contact, and I smirked to myself when I felt his abdominal muscles tighten under my hand. Hot.

“I’ll always stay for you,” he corrected through a laugh, though his words held meaning, even through his playful tone.

We were quiet for a few more moments. The moon was already high in the sky, given the time of night, but it still streamed through my window. It was peaceful, laying in bed with him. Maybe my bed wasn’t as big as his, but that was besides the point.

“Happy New Year, Malfoy,” I whispered, finally raising my head so I could rest my chin on his chest. He smiled down at me, his fingers twirling the ends of my hair.

“Happy New Year, Wilkinson,” he reciprocated, and leaned forward to catch my lips in his. I smiled into the kiss, propping my body up on my elbow so I could get as much of him as I could. My hand slid up his chest, reaching up to cup the nape of his neck as a laugh left through my nose.

Malfoy pulled away first, looking from my lips to my eyes with that stupid, drunken smirk. “Hell of a New Year’s kiss.”

“Hell of a New Year’s,” I reminded him, reaching up to rake my fingers through his hair. He hummed at the feeling, pushing his head into my palm when I came to a stop.

“G’night, get some rest. ‘M right here,” he finally said after a few moments of looking at one another, pressing a quick goodnight kiss to the tip of my nose. I nodded reluctantly, pouting in disappointment as I laid back down on top of him.

After a couple minutes, I decided I was much too uncomfortable to sleep a wink. Suppressing the smirk was harder than I thought it would be when I cheekily slipped my hand under the sweater. How he was going to sleep in it, I had no idea.

Even though Malfoy and I had been dating for months, this was still uncharted territory. My heart picked up its pace as my fingers skimmed over the muscles in his abdomen, and I unconsciously pressed my face further into his chest. It was like I was chasing the comfort I already knew, that I was already familiar with. Nuzzling into his chest? No problem. Feeling up his abs? _Holy shit_.

“Your fingers are freezing, Wilk,” Malfoy muttered from above my head, but I could practically hear the smirk on his lips. _Wilk_. I don’t know what triggered the change in what he called me, but I didn’t mind it. Almost preferred it, honestly. _Malf_ , however, was horrendous and shouldn’t even see the light of day. 

My fingertips began to trace down each valley between and over each bulge of muscle. Eventually, my hand was hooked around his side, pulling him impossibly closer to me.

“G’night, get some rest,” I mocked him quietly, my thumb beginning to swipe over the smooth skin of his side. A deep chuckle rumbled through his chest, though he only adjusted his hold on my shoulders as I felt my eyelids grow heavy.

It wasn’t long until I fell asleep, easily lulled into unconsciousness by his rhythmic heartbeat and his gentle touches.

Malfoy, however, spent the entire night wide awake. His eyes never ceased from darting between the window and the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all want a Malfoy POV of the same night?


	68. new update for chapter sixty-three lol

PLS READ ALL OF THIS I THINK IT’S KINDA IMPORTANT: 

I’m posting this note as a new chapter so you guys actually get a notification that something new is up, but I’ve gone back to chapter sixty-three and reposted the new chap in there. I think it wiped the comments when I did that, so pls fill it back up because reading comments makes my day and I have been having some shitty days recently.

 **Basically recap of revision if you don’t wanna read it** (it’s now hella long (like over 10k words), I don’t blame you)/spoilers? I guess idk: It’s somewhat similar to the first version (I just added more dialogue and shit). Ivan was supposed to take Jack to the meeting and was expecting him to be alone or with Alexia (aka NOT with Malfoy or Olive), so when he saw Olive with Jack, he changed his mind and took Olive instead. Which wasn’t the plan, so that threw off the Death Eater meeting a bit (mostly when Avery points her out and draws the attention to her and then Snape saves her ass because it makes the most sense that he knows her (student/teacher crap), rather than Lucius saying something whack and then all the Death Eaters being like wtf). 

So yes, the Malfoys are still protecting her, no she wasn’t supposed to be there. No, Lucius/Narcissa don’t know about Malfoy/Olive, we can just pretend that Lucius knew where Malfoy would be on New Year’s or something idk let’s not look too far into it. I’d like to think that it was Ivan’s way of exposing her to the rest of the Death Eaters (which wasn’t his call obviously but he’s clearly fucked in the head), indirectly making the Malfoys job of protecting her even harder.

I also added a moment with Olive, Malfoy, and his parents after the meeting, as well as a scene b/t Malfoy and Olive where he cleans her cuts up. 

**I’m incredibly sorry for any confusion the original version caused. My mind hasn’t been working very clearly at all recently, so even I got confused writing it.**

Do you guys want a Malfoy POV of the same night? I think it might explain more about what happened, especially since I know the first version was confusing as hell. But I also feel bad for posting the same shit for like three chapters lmfao but lmk what you think pls


	69. chapter sixty-four

**MALFOY’S POINT-OF-VIEW**

“G’night, get some rest,” she mocked quietly, her thumb beginning to swipe over my side. Her fingers were beginning to warm up a bit. They had been as cold as icicles when she first slipped them under my sweater. And she always claimed that I had freezing fingers.

I chuckled at Wilkinson’s teasing, readjusting the gentle grip I had on her shoulders. She fell asleep within minutes, just like part of me had expected. The night had been exhausting, but given that it was already past two, I doubted I would get any sleep. Not with her by my side, and not with what happened tonight.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t sleep next to her. I certainly could. In fact, it was one of my favorite things to do. But, even in that short time we were separated tonight, I couldn’t stop worrying about her. I wholeheartedly blamed myself for the events that took place. And now that she was here, curled into bed with me, I couldn’t give way to something as vulnerable as sleep.

My heart stopped at the sound of the smallest sigh leaving her mouth. It was so much more quiet and gentle than I had expected for it to be. Not at all reflective of her confident self, her whip-like wit, and fierce attitude. Yet I wanted to hear it again, and again, and again. The sound that indirectly told me she trusted me with the unguarded and defenseless side of herself.

As I listened to her steady, shallow breathing, I laid my head back against the pillow. It was slightly propped against the headboard, so my neck was at a rather sharp angle. I didn’t mind, though. I was able to see her, the door, and the window all at once.

_My head twisted back towards her when I felt Wilkinson’s frantic clawing at my arm. The crowd’s shouting wasn’t helping, I couldn’t make out quite where they were. The Death Eaters, that is. The fog was often used as a mask to hide apparitions and disapparitions, so I knew they were coming. Or worse, already here. My hand tightened on her shoulder as she stared towards the bridge._

_Instinctually, I pushed her behind me as I faced the bridge myself. It made sense, it was where the fog was originating from. Every rational thought told me they were over there. But why? My father hadn’t said anything all day. I suppose I did tell my parents a white lie, that I was celebrating New Year’s with Wilkinson, Blaise, and Katie. No mention of Simmons, or Alexia._

_Wilkinson took my heart with her when she dashed away, pulling her arm out of my grip. I hadn’t even noticed it had lessened as I was looking towards the bridge. In a second flat, my stomach opened like a bottomless pit, and I watched helplessly as she sprinted to Simmons. Who, and I hadn’t noticed this either, was on the ground, clutching his arm._

Crack. _The noise made me turn around, but I was only met with my father’s intense gaze. He wasn’t wearing his mask, which was surprising. Still, he was dressed in his black robes, the collar tight to his neck._

_I was at a loss for words when he tightly grasped my shoulder, and I knew what was coming before I could even blink. “But Wilk-” I tried, but I had already felt the familiar hook in my stomach._

_I had Side-Along’d with my father plenty of times. Really, it was the only way we could get around efficiently until I was old enough to practice Apparition legally. I didn’t have to look around to know that my father had taken us back to the manor._

_“Wilkinson’s back there, Father! We have to go back, I can’t just_ leave _her there!” I shouted, too emotional to quiet my voice like he always made me. I knew it was a sign of disrespect to raise my voice, especially towards him. No part of me cared enough to correct myself, though. She was back there, alone and certainly frightened. I even offered out my arm for him to take, though he ignored it._

Wilkinson shifted from on top of me, a quiet sigh coming from her lips as she readjusted herself. My heartbeat, which I hadn’t even realized had picked up, started to slow at the reminder that she was in my hands. Here, with me. Not alone in London.

An unconscious smile spread over my lips as I raised a cautious hand, stroking her hair. She always did have such soft hair, though my fingers tangled in it occasionally. Another quiet huff came from her as she nuzzled her face even further into the sweater. I felt my body warm immediately, and not in the gross way it did during quidditch practice. More so like the sun was beaming down on us, even though we were in the darkness of her bedroom.

_“You know better than to take that tone with me, Draco. She will be safe with Mr. Zabini and Miss Jones,” my father snapped back. My heart sank at the reminder of my white lie. Blaise and Katie were never there. Really, it was supposed to be just Wilkinson and I, until that goddamn Alexia girl found us on the platform. I had no idea Simmons would be in London tonight, either._

_Shit. She was with Simmons, last I saw. And if I was here, without a Dark Mark to call my own, then I was certain Simmons’ presence was requested._

_My father raised his chin at me in one last act of defiance, and then turned sharply on my heel. In the distance, I could already hear the cracks and pops, indicating the arrival of members to the Manor. I needed to find Mum._

_A few house elves were scurrying about, cleaning up the Manor last minute. My eyes scoured the group, trying to find the one that usually reported to my mother. Merlin, they looked so similar from the back._

_“Gilly!” I called out, and the house elf slowly drew her gaze up from where she was scrubbing the floor. Honestly, I was surprised the elves were working now. Mum always liked to keep them away during gatherings and parties, preferring for them to clean before and afterwards. This meeting must’ve been urgent._

_My legs carried me to Gilly’s side before she could even speak. Holding tightly onto the mop, she stared up at me as her knees started to buckle. I never really spoke to her, mostly since she was my mother’s elf._

_“Where’s Mum?” I asked Gilly, and her ears started to twitch. Narrowing my eyes, Gilly suddenly jumped and answered. I doubted she had been hiding anything. Probably just intimidated._

_“In the room of dining, young master Draco,” Gilly replied, bowing her head in the proper acknowledgement she had clearly forgotten before. I muttered my gratitude before I tore off down the hallway. With my luck, the table would already be filled with Death Eaters._

_My father was the first to look up when I burst through the door. I recognized a few, but I didn’t know more than half of the members. It had just been recently when my father started to bring me along to meetings. Technically, I wasn’t supposed to, since I didn’t have my Dark Mark quite yet. But I guess, as a Malfoy, I was an immediate shoo-in._

_Mum’s gaze soon followed and I rounded the table to lean over the back of her chair. “Is Simmons supposed to be here tonight?” I asked cautiously, and my mother arched an eyebrow._

_“Of course, dear. Mr. Levski sent Ivan to retrieve him. It really will be easier when you two are of age-” Mum started, but I interrupted. Each and every organ had dropped through my stomach at the mention of Levski’s name. If I knew Wilkinson at all, she wouldn’t leave Simmons’ side for anything._

_“Ivan?” I parroted, and Mum only nodded._

_“Sit, Draco. Your father will start the meeting once Ivan returns with Jack,” My eyes followed to where my mother was gesturing to the chair on the other side of my father. He had been listening, though halfheartedly so as his eyes narrowed in thought. I could tell he was stressed. Stubble had started to grow along his jaw, which both made me jealous and worried. If Father hadn’t taken the time to make himself presentable, I could only imagine what the meeting was really scheduled for._

_“Mum, Olive’s with Simmons,” I murmured, grasping tightly onto the back of her chair. Immediately, both her and my father’s composure stiffened. Mum’s lips parted as she twisted her body away from the table. Even my father turned as well, and the three of us found ourselves in a small huddle._

_“Sit,” my father hissed at me, pure fury behind his eyes. Not only had I fucked up, so did he. I could tell he was more flustered than normal, nothing was in order. There was no proper arrangement for the meeting, no formal invitations. It was made on a whim, and my gut told me the Dark Lord had passed on something bad to my father._

_Still, I complied, slinking around the back of his chair and down onto mine. Some member I had never met sat beside me and attempted to make conversation, but I ignored them so I could think._

_I think Alexia had been there before my father disapparated us. Even though I hated her, maybe she had pulled Wilkinson away. Hopefully, away from Simmons before Levski got there. My hands had unconsciously curled into fists at the sheer thought of Levski. It was foolish to believe I would never see him again after the end of fourth year._

_With a quick glance around the room, I noted that the only empty chairs were between the Simmons’ and the Levski’s. One for Jack, one for Ivan. We really were waiting for them, and I knew my father wouldn’t disapparate from the Manor now. So, I had to hold onto the tiny shred of hope that Wilkinson was okay._

_I knew she would be furious with me given my sudden disappearance. If she hadn’t run away, if she hadn’t seen Simmons -_

_No. No, this was my fault. Not hers._

_Merlin, I wanted to see her face so I could tell her that._

_The very same second the thought crossed my mind, the doors to the dining room flew open._

_My breath hitched in my throat when my eyes landed on Wilkinson. Her mussed hair, the cuts adorning her perfect face. Her eyes were hollow, already focused on the ground as soon as the door was opened._

_And Levski. I shifted at the sight of him, my quads tightening as I made a move to stand. Instantly, my father drove the end of his cane into my foot, keeping me put. Rationally, I knew I shouldn’t make a scene. But seeing her like this, so ruined and confused, I wanted nothing more than to clamber over the table and take her into my arms. Turn Levski’s face inside out, too._

_Simmons’ absence didn’t even register at first. A twinge deep down in my stomach paired with the thought of him being dead. Why else would Levski bring along Wilkinson?_

_When Wilkinson finally dragged her gaze up from the floor, mine was already waiting to catch her attention. Her neck bobbed in a hard swallow as Levski pushed her forward, further into the room. Mr. Levski said something, as well as Simmons’ mum, but the words were distant in my head. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Wilkinson._

_She was shaking, her bottom lip trembling as she sat down in the chair Levski had pulled out. I needed to catch her eyes once more, I needed her to know something. I waited until she lifted her head, and I mouthed it to her._

_“I’m so sorry.”_

_Wilkinson only let her gaze fall to the table again, reaching up and tracing over her cuts gingerly. Each quiet wince and whimper that came from her felt like it was amplified, even over the muttering of the Death Eaters. They tugged at my heartstrings, twisting and tying them into permanent knots. She was in pain, I knew that. It seemed like Mum did too, as she sat up straighter._

“Draco.”

I blinked when I heard my name fall from Wilkinson’s lips. It was mumbled and breathy, but I still heard it clear as day. Carefully, as not to wake her, I leaned forward and craned my neck so I could see her face. Her eyes were still closed, any wrinkles in her face smoothed away.

“Promise.”

She muttered again, though she rolled over so her back was facing me. My heart leapt at her sleeptalking. It was the most vulnerable I had ever seen her, but it only made me want to protect her even more. Wilkinson let out another sigh as she readjusted her hips, nestling her head into my bicep. One of her hands floated around the bed, skimming over the sheets until her fingertips came into contact with my outstretched hand.

I bit down on my lip as she wrapped her fingers around my pinky. She had quite the strength for someone who was unconscious.

My mind was still much too busy to even consider sleeping. So, as Wilkinson held onto my pinky finger with her weirdly-tight death grip, I let my eyes wander around her room. She hadn’t drawn the curtains shut before we climbed into her bed, so the moonlight streamed in and cast shadows over various items in her bedroom.

Her desk sat in the corner, adjacent to her window. A few trinkets and such littered the surface, a couple pictures hung above. If I squinted just right, I could make out a few faces. No one I recognized, though.

I couldn’t help but feel as though her bedroom was more personalized, more homey than mine was. Sure, my father had insisted that I had the best mattress and pillows, but there was something about it that was sterile, maybe. It was like a carbon copy of all the other guest bedrooms in the Manor. Really, the only differences were my posters, but I had outgrown them.

Before I started at Hogwarts, my parents employed a tutor to get me ready. That summer before my first year, my room was filled with introductory textbooks and rolls of parchment. A way to pass the time, I suppose. The board games I used to play with Dobby still sat under my bed. I’m sure they were coated with inches of dust by now.

Playing with Dobby wasn’t as enjoyable as I thought it would’ve been. He always rambled on and self-punished whenever he won, claiming that I should’ve, as the master’s son and all. I’d never admit it to anyone else, but when he did win, it was fair and square.

Can’t believe I lost board games to a bloody house elf.

Wilkinson had a few posters plastered to the walls as well, though they were mostly of Muggle music groups I had never heard of. A group of boys were pictured in one, and I rolled my eyes at their matching clothing.

Her room reflected her, simply put. A row of pots were positioned along her windowsill. All of them held dead stalks of various plants, though one had green leaves on the end. I reckoned it was her latest attempt. An old rodent cage sat in her open closet, pushed to the back corner. A mess of clothes were piled on the floor by her dresser, one drawer slightly open.

I looked back down at her. A few strands of hair had fallen out of her hair tie, and I carefully brushed them away. My eyes traced over the slope of her nose, the curves of her cheekbones. I was glad I stayed.

Rolling my head to the left, I looked out the window. It looked like any other night, the stars twinkling millions of miles away and the moon shining bright.

If I had thought Simmons was a light sleeper, Wilkinson was even worse. She rolled onto her back, letting my pinky finger fall from her grip. Her lips were slightly parted, the gentlest huffs leaving her mouth as she breathed. I stayed still as she continued to roll, throwing one arm over my stomach as she practically melted into my side. Her head came to a stop on my chest, her cheek pressing up against the material of the sweater.

I had never felt this way about anyone. Never so empty without their presence, and then overwhelmingly full with it. Never so immediately warmed by the sight of a smile, immediately overjoyed by the sound of a laugh. Anything about her, really, filled my heart to, and always over, the brim.

I had never wanted to protect someone more than I did myself. There was this indescribable need to shield her from the bad, yet provide her every good I possibly could. 

When she finally stopped moving, I tentatively brought my arm to wrap around her waist and pulled her closer to me. She hummed in contentment, her hand now fisting my sweater as she inhaled sharply. Merlin, I think I was beginning to -

My train of thought was derailed when a sudden _twhack_ smacked against the window. I nearly jumped out of bed, and I was already reaching for my wand on the nightstand when I realized it was just the branch of a tree hitting the glass panes. I settled back into the pillows gently, trying not to wake Wilkinson. She grumbled a bit in a weak protest, but she swiftly settled into my side once more.

The rest of the night, my eyes never stopped from looking between the window and the door. And my fingers had never gripped my wand tighter.

**OLIVE’S POINT-OF-VIEW**

I mean, I guess I wasn’t really expecting Malfoy to bounce before I woke. Even still, I was happily surprised that when my eyelids fluttered open, I was met with his warm torso beneath me. I stirred, stretching out my legs as a whine involuntarily slipped from my lips.

“Mornin’,” Malfoy mumbled from above me, his voice low and hoarse. Very sexy. I shifted so I was laying partially on my stomach, one hand sliding up his chest. He closed his eyes again, resting his head against the pillow as his hand started to rub circles into my back.

“Mornin’, sleepyhead,” I teased, lowering my head so I could start to pepper kisses over the sweater. He groaned, the sound resonating through his chest under my lips. Waking up with him was now my favorite thing to do. I might just have to convince Jack to sleep in the common room this upcoming term.

I wriggled around so I was further up on the bed. Malfoy’s arm laid limply over my back, going along with any movements I made. My kisses slowly transferred from the sweater to the collar, and then to his neck. I felt his Adam’s apple brush against the tip of my nose when he swallowed thickly, and another groan came from deep within him.

My lips skimmed over his warm skin, pressing a kiss every now and then whenever I felt like it. He still smelled like his cologne, even hours after dinner. They ran the course from below each of his ears, down to the collar, and then along his jawline. All the while, he kept his eyes closed, though his lips parted.

“You’re pure evil, woman,” he muttered, and I pressed one final kiss to his chin before I raised my head. 

“Only for you,” I teased, my fingers coming to fiddle with the collar of his sweater. He smirked, his chest jumping in an amused huff. I was about to roll completely onto him when my bedroom door was thrown open, and I nearly screamed in surprise.

Malfoy’s eyes flew open, and he immediately bent at the waist. In a flash, his arm was wound around my stomach, and I somehow found my back pressed to his front. And I tried to ignore whatever was pressing into my thigh.

“Oh! Fuck - I apologize, I thought this was the, er, bathroom?” The man’s hand never left the doorknob, which was still turned in his grasp. My eyes only widened, and I gathered the sheets over my lap. Malfoy’s grip tightened on my hip, and I could practically feel the heat radiating off his glare which was directed over my shoulder.

“Leo!” I heard Aunt Beth’s voice carry down the hall, and I shifted my gaze to behind the man’s shoulder. She was fiddling with the tie of her robe, her hair messily piled on top of her head as she rushed up behind him. Leo, and I was guessing, was her one-night stand. Or a boyfriend I had never met. Until now. Sitting on top of Malfoy’s lap with a very special something pressing into my legs.

“Further down the hall,” she corrected Leo, pushing him away from the doorframe. The hold on the doorknob was replaced with hers, and she muttered a quick apology before yanking it shut. Even through the wall, I could hear her scolding Leo.

“Your, er, uncle?” Malfoy guessed, and his mouth dropped to my shoulder. The sweatshirt he had given me was a bit big, the neckhole much more stretched out than my normal clothes. I struggled to form a thought as his lips ghosted over my collarbone, and up my neck. Blinking, I finally removed my stare on the door.

“No idea who that man was,” I admitted, shifting a bit in Malfoy’s lap so I could look at him. He groaned lowly, giving me one last kiss before falling back onto the pillows. I stared down at him, my teeth unconsciously biting down on my bottom lip as my gaze swept over his face. His hair was soft and messy, the light blonde nearly blending into my pillowcases.

Malfoy sighed, extending his arms out to his sides. In a full-body stretch, his hips lifted from the mattress and I went along with it. “I don’t like the idea of a man you don’t know being in your house. Especially with you in it,” It took a few quiet moments, but Malfoy finally admitted it.

Smirking, I lowered myself so I was laying on his chest. One of his hands immediately came to rest on the small of my back, rubbing small circles. “If Aunt Beth trusts him, I trust him.”

“Not good enough for me,” Malfoy muttered, his gaze flicking past me to the door, like he was waiting for Leo to come back in. My hands skimmed over my sheets on either side of Malfoy, from his hips to under the pillow his head was laying on. I stopped when my fingertips brushed over the telltale smoothness of Malfoy’s wand. After seeing Ivan’s wand in Malfoy’s coat, I don’t think I’d ever forget what the real one looked like.

“What-” I pulled out the wand from under the pillow. Malfoy’s eyes followed it, his hands now finding a spot on my thighs. “Did you sleep with this last night?”

Sheepishly, Malfoy nodded, though I could tell he was trying to play it cool. Chuckling, I fiddled with his wand, running my finger up and down the smooth wood. “Give it back, Wilkinson.”

I shook my head, holding it high above my head and out of his reach. Malfoy cocked a daring eyebrow, and I suppose I should’ve known better than to challenge him. He wasn’t Jack, he would never let me win. In a second, Malfoy had flipped us over and his wand was now rightfully in his hold.

A rush of air escaped my lungs as I felt the plushness of my mattress under my back, and Malfoy’s legs between my two. He was holding himself up from completely smushing me, his body weight entirely shifted onto one forearm.

“You’re no fun,” I narrowed my eyes playfully, pretending to be annoyed. 

“I can be very fun.”

I raised an eyebrow at Malfoy’s statement. Need I remind him -

“Pancakes!” Aunt Beth’s voice rang through the air, even through the closed door. Sighing, I let my head fall further into the pillow and Malfoy shut his eyes in defeat as well. So much for showing me the fun.

Malfoy transferred his wand to his other hand before leaning over me and setting it on my nightstand. “Go on, I’ll be right there,” he promised, rolling onto his back to let me free of his captivity. I didn’t want to take my newfound freedom, though. Instead, I rolled into his side, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.

“How d’you take your pancakes, Malfoy?” I asked genuinely.

“Chocolate chips.” Shoulda known.

I patted his chest before I started to sit up, my hand resting against his sweater as I steadied myself. Just as I was retreating it, Malfoy’s hand came to wrap around my wrist and prohibited me from moving any further.

“Lots of chocolate chips,” he said seriously. Rolling my eyes, I nodded and slipped off the side of my bed. Figuring I was dressed somewhat decently, I immediately padded over to my door. When I looked back, Malfoy had his arm thrown over his eyes, the other dangling off my bed. Little bastard was probably itching for a few more moments of shut-eye. Honestly, his eyes looked a bit more sunken in than usual this morning. I guess I couldn’t blame him for not getting much sleep, especially in a bed that wasn’t his.

I made sure to close the door quietly behind me, not wanting to wake him if he was, in fact, sleeping again. Skipping down the stairs, I was met with the delicious smell of pancakes already cooking. Aunt Beth was sat on one of the stools by the kitchen island, her hands wound around a coffee mug.

Leo had a towel thrown over his shoulder, somehow handling the skillet, the coffee pot, and a pan filled with eggs all at once. I came to sit beside Aunt Beth, whose face was flushed a deep scarlet.

“I’m so sorry about earlier, Olive,” she breathed out, keeping a wary eye on Leo’s back. He didn’t seem to hear, but I still leaned into her. “He’s only been here a few times, I think he’s still figuring out the house.”

“It’s alright, Aunt Beth,” I laughed, shaking my head. “Gave Malfoy quite a fright, though.”

At the mention of his name, her eyes narrowed. The thing was, I couldn’t tell if she was joking, if she was attempting to ‘mother me,’ or if she was genuinely pissed. “Speaking of him...what the hell is that all about? He stayed the night?”

“I could say the same about you!” I gaped, glancing over at Leo. His shoulders bounced in a laugh, but he kept his attention on the skillet. I didn’t even know if he was a wizard. Especially given the way he was cooking without magic.

“That’s besides the point, young lady,” Aunt Beth scolded, but I could see the mischievous glint forming in her eye. “You should know better than to bring a boy home without asking me.”

In a dramatic fashion, I threw my hand towards Leo and cocked my head. When Aunt Beth didn’t answer, I bobbled my head aggressively.

“We’ll talk about this later,” she finally agreed, rolling her eyes. Aunt Beth made sure to slip me a sly smile, though, before she returned to the conversation she was having with Leo. I listened absentmindedly, my eyes scouring the kitchen counter for a bag of chocolate chips. Leo did have a container of blueberries out, which I was already certain wouldn’t fly with Malfoy.

I was about to return to my bedroom when I heard Malfoy walking down the stairs. When he rounded the last couple steps, I noticed that the bastard had changed back into his dress trousers, and the sweater had been properly straightened. Even his hair had been fussed with. At least, the neatest job he could do without his products.

“Draco, what a surprise!” Aunt Beth lied through her teeth, but she still kept a bright smile on her face. I chuckled in amusement, returning my attention to my coffee cup as Malfoy came to stand behind me. The kitchen island only had two stools, so he was at a loss. Like so many times before, his hands lightly gripped my shoulders, his thumbs swiping back and forth.

“Good to see you,” Malfoy responded politely, dipping his head in a nod of acknowledgment. He seemed to be much more at ease than he had been ten minutes ago, his chest pressing against my back.

The four - well, really, the three - of us made small conversation while Leo finished breakfast. Malfoy stayed mostly quiet, instead opting for a wary glare on Leo. It was abundantly clear that Malfoy didn’t trust him, and if Malfoy didn’t, then maybe I shouldn’t either. He had a rather good read on people. Aunt Beth, however, seemed to be infatuated, laughing at each stupid joke and bumping her hip into his when she was assisting with the egg scrambling.

Within fifteen minutes, the kitchen table was the fullest it had been since my parents died. Each seat was taken, and even Aunt Beth’s owl had perched himself near the window. He had never been sent to the Manor, so he didn’t recognize Malfoy as the treat man.

Breakfast was mostly filled with Aunt Beth and Leo conversing, though Malfoy kept his knee pressed against mine the entire time. Part of me doubted Leo gave Malfoy enough chocolate chips, since he was particularly picky about which bites he did eat. It only took a few minutes to realize he was choosing the ones with the highest chocolate-to-pancake ratio.

“So, Olive, your aunt tells me you go to a boarding school in Scotland?” Leo asked, turning to me after he swallowed. I guess he wasn’t part of the wizarding world. Aunt Beth shot me a look over his turned shoulder.

I wiped my mouth with my napkin before I nodded. “I do, yes. Same with him,” I gestured towards Malfoy, who offered little more than a weak smile. God, could this boy hold a grudge. And a made-up one, at that.

However, Malfoy did seem to relax after it was revealed Leo wasn’t a wizard. It probably relieved some sort of fabricated stress inside him, knowing that Leo wasn’t a threat. With our wands, Aunt Beth and I could easily take him out, if need be.

“I do hope you don’t take this the wrong way, son, but you’ve got the most unique looks I’ve ever seen,” Leo attempted a compliment, giving Malfoy a wide smile.

Malfoy set his napkin down on the table. “You look like an inbred lion.”

I nearly choked on the bite of pancake I had just taken, and Aunt Beth looked just as horrified. Leo, however, took the insult with a laugh and an understanding head nod.

“It’s the hair, isn’t it?” Leo chuckled as his hand gestured to his hair. It did resemble a mane of sorts, with all the flaming-red curly and wild locks. Malfoy only flicked his eyebrows upwards before he swiftly returned to his pancakes.

Aunt Beth desperately tried to take Leo’s attention off of Malfoy, the two falling into their own discussion as I leaned into Malfoy.

“Are you insane? You just can’t say that, you dick,” I hissed, narrowing my eyes at him. Malfoy didn’t look intimidated in the slightest, but rather proud of himself. Goddamn ego. A smirk tugged on his lips as he sat back in the chair, stretching his legs out.

“I don’t trust him one bit,” he whispered back. His gaze flicked to Leo and Aunt Beth, but the two were still distracted with one another. “‘Specially not around you.”

“You better watch it, or I swear-”

Malfoy interrupted me before I could finish, his arms crossing over his chest.

“So, Liam, how much money d’you make?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really did mean to get this up earlier, but I had a power outage for most of the day yesterday, and i’m also packing for moving back to my university this weekend and i got a covid test this morning lol


	70. chapter sixty-five

“For the last time, Jones, get that damned cat off me!”

Katie rolled her eyes at Malfoy’s whining, but she did take Nox back into her arms. She had indeed gotten a cat as a Christmas present, and it was hellbent on taking a stroll around the train compartment every five minutes. Which, four hours into the train ride, was getting to be a bit annoying. Especially for Malfoy.

Jack lifted his head from the armrest at Malfoy’s outburst, squinting before he rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his palms. He had fallen asleep rather quickly into the journey, claiming he didn’t get much sleep in the few nights before today. Apparently, he hadn’t heard much from Alexia since New Year’s, but he was still dreading the moment when he saw her at school.

Malfoy brushed off his pants repeatedly, like he was trying to rid any lingering fiber from Nox’s scramble over his lap. He and I were sitting side-by-side, with Jack further down on the bench.

“You know, cats smell fear. Maybe if you weren’t such a scaredy-cat-” Katie snapped, earning a snicker from Blaise. “Nox would actually like you.” Malfoy gave her a hard glare, though he had settled back into the cushions.

“Well, I think Nox is adorable,” Pansy cooed, reaching out for the cat and taking her from Katie’s arms. She started squealing quietly, running her fingers through Nox’s long fur. Katie huffed one final time at Malfoy before turning to Pansy. The two swiftly got caught up in a conversation about cats, Blaise joining in as well. Jack had fallen back asleep within seconds, his outstretched legs just barely touching me.

“Wouldn’t kill you to take a liking to the cat,” I whispered to Malfoy, scooting a bit closer to him and resting my head on his shoulder. Looking across the compartment, my eyes swept over Pansy and Katie, smiling when I saw Pansy pull out a stuffed toy mouse.

Malfoy let his cheek roll into the top of my head, though a sigh of despair left his mouth. “Are you sure it’s not part Kneazle? It’s gotta be at least half, it’s got the same dodgy eyes.”

Like Katie had before, I rolled my eyes at his assumption. “Didn’t you get Katie cat toys for Christmas?”

He huffed at the reminder. “Yeah, so the damned thing will stay away from me.”

“What is it, then? Why don’t you like Nox?” I pressed further, lifting my head off his shoulder so I could stare him dead in the eye. When he didn’t immediately respond, I cocked an eyebrow. His gaze left mine to roam around the compartment, like he was making sure the others were preoccupied.

I leaned into him when he dipped his head down, his lips brushing against my ear. “My parents got me, like, four different Kneazles when I was younger. None of them ever really took a liking to me,” he explained quietly. “I hate the bloody things.”

I wasn’t really sure why, but his explanation was far more sorrowful than I would’ve expected. I’m sure all he wanted was a more cuddly pet than an owl growing up, and for whatever reason, cats weren’t the fit for him. Poor little Malfoy.

“I think I’m allergic, too,” he continued on, crossing his arms over his chest as he sent one final glare at Nox. I snickered at his claim, knowing full well he wasn’t. It would probably take time, but maybe I could get him to warm up to Nox.

Glancing back across the compartment, I opened my arms when Nox had stood and started to stretch herself out on Pansy’s lap. If Malfoy wouldn’t give the blessed thing attention, I would. I could hear Malfoy groan from beside me as Nox hopped off and strutted over the floor. In a second, she was swaddled in my arms and I was pressing numerous kisses to her head. She had long, black fur, and Katie had named her after a spell. The one that extinguished the light from _lumos_ , so I supposed it made sense.

Malfoy scrunched his nose up into his face, scooting away from me as Nox started to purr heavily. She was quite the cuddle bug, nuzzling her face into my neck as I held her close.

“Oh, c’mon!” I scoffed, earning myself a hard glare from Malfoy. Jack had roused once more, most likely from our little verbal scuffle. I felt the cushion on the bench shift as he sat up, drawing his legs back from where they had been outstretched. Malfoy looked past me to him, narrowing his eyes as Jack started to fawn over Nox as well.

“Let me have her, Malfoy is clearly freaking her out,” Jack tried, reaching both his arms around me so he would take Nox from my hold. I let him do so easily, though I watched Malfoy’s reaction. He didn’t seem to notice Jack’s proximity to me, but was rather eyeing Nox as she was lifted up and over my head.

“Poor thing, did the mean blonde man scare you?” Jack started to scratch under Nox’s chin, and her purring only intensified. Malfoy rolled his eyes as I giggled, scooting over the bench to be closer to him.

“Back off, Wilkinson! You’re all covered in pet dander, you’re going to make me sneeze-” he tried, but I swiftly cut him off by clambering onto his lap. Malfoy’s hands pushed at my legs, but it was a feeble attempt. I wasn’t sure if he was just faking it, or if I was actually stronger than him. At least in that moment.

“I think the cat scared the blonde man,” I teased, and I heard Jack snort from behind me. Settling myself onto Malfoy’s lap, I wound one arm around his neck and leaned into the wall that cornered the end of the bench. My legs were draped over his thighs, and his hands found a natural resting place within a matter of seconds.

Jack leaned back as well, letting Nox climb all over his legs and up his chest. She wasn’t particularly small, but she was still young and adventurous. Blaise had glanced over at Malfoy and I, a taunting smirk on his lips. Pansy and Katie were still talking about the possibility of Pansy getting a cat herself. Part of me hoped she didn’t, having two cats in the dormitory would be two too many.

“I need to go to Pomfrey as soon as we get to Hogwarts, maybe she’ll give me some allergy medicine,” Malfoy mumbled, his fingertips drumming some rhythm over my jeans. Resting my head against the wall, I smiled down at him.

“You are so dramatic,” I chuckled, letting my finger start to twirl his hair by the nape of his neck. He must’ve not gotten a haircut over Christmas break, as it was a bit longer than usual. Still attractive as ever, but he had clearly styled it this morning. No waves to tuck behind his ear.

“I’m serious, Wilk! I can’t be focusing on studying for O.W.L.s when I’ll be sneezing all the time,” he retorted. I groaned at his reminder of the upcoming exams. The majority of this term was going to be spent reviewing our past years’ material, and I wasn’t looking forward to it.

I just wanted to spend more time with Malfoy like we had over Christmas break. Minus the Death Eater part. Cuddling up with him watching movies, having him stay the night, waking up to his gorgeous face. All stuff I couldn’t get on a regular basis at Hogwarts.

Aunt Beth had promised me Leo was a one-time thing, so, although she was embarrassed by Malfoy’s jabs, she wasn’t totally mad. Leo seemed to keep a good attitude about it, assuring Malfoy that he made enough to keep him reasonably comfortable. It was weird, though, how easily Leo had fit in with us at the dining table that morning.

“I mean, there’s no way Snape would have a final exam _and_ the O.W.L.. Don’t you think?” Malfoy asked, and I blinked to bring myself back into reality. I hummed questioningly at him, and he repeated the question.

I shrugged, letting my finger unravel from the strand of hair I was still twirling. It came to rest on his shoulder, my elbow tucked behind his back. “I hope not. Two exams would be awful.”

Malfoy nodded in agreement, his fingertips now tracing over the seams of my jeans. I was dressed awfully casual. Same with the others. Malfoy was wearing that black suit of his, making him stand out among the group of us. My hand brushed over his collar, sweeping away a stray cat hair.

I glanced around the compartment before I leaned into his side. By resting my head on his shoulder, I hoped I could conceal myself from the others. Jack was still playing with Nox, having found a loose string that he was dangling in front of her. Blaise had dozed off, his head against Katie’s shoulders while she continued to talk with Pansy. Liam hadn’t sat with us, but Pansy had said Umbridge had him doing patrols of the train cars. Something about ensuring there were no illegal Christmas gifts brought back to school. Probably some stupid new educational decree.

“Have you ever seen Snape use that spell before?” I whispered, knowing Malfoy would immediately understand what spell I was referring to. It was a long shot, but maybe he had overseen it at a Death Eater meeting.

It was weird seeing Snape sitting at the Malfoy’s dining table. And it was even weirder that he had spoken up for me, protecting me from getting wrapped up in some task for You-Know-Who. I suppose I always had a feeling Snape was hiding something from us, but it was just too unsettling to actually see it for myself.

Malfoy shook his head, and I could feel his cheek brushing against me. “Never. Dunno why he told us about it, really,” He brought his hand up to rub at his jawline, clearly in thought. “Why? Do you wanna practice it or something?”

I nearly flew off his lap at his proposal. Instead, I raised my head ever so slightly, my lips parted. “Don’t you remember what he said, you nimwit? _Severe lacerations_? _Lethal hemorrhaging_? I am not _practicing_ that spell with you.”

Malfoy raised his eyebrows in defense, but the topic was quickly dropped. I had to admit, part of me actually was curious about the seriousness of Snape’s curse. I dunno, something about him having a reason to make one of his own seemed off.

I couldn’t get my mind off Snape’s curse for the rest of the trainride, even when the others started up stupid games and the compartment was filled with lively conversation.

\---

The first day of classes after break always sucks. Always.

I swear, Pansy was bitching before she even rolled out of bed. Katie was grumbling that her hair wasn’t how she wanted it, fussing over it in the mirror by the dormitory door. Nox was innocently curled up on Katie’s bed, like she hadn’t terrorized the room at four in the morning.

And I was half-dressed, fiddling with the buttons on my blouse. Umbridge had really enforced the uniform policy, so I was required to wear skirts in the dead of winter. I wasn’t particularly thrilled about it, and neither were Katie or Pansy. We were allowed to wear stockings, but they were to reach above our knees until March. All these stupid rules Umbridge had instated were driving me up the wall.

Pansy was running late, so Katie and I walked to the common room together. I never really did wear skirts, often opting for trousers during the school year. And because of that, my skirts were a bit shorter and tighter than they should be. I hadn’t felt the need to buy a bigger size over summer break.

Malfoy nearly jumped off the couch when he saw us approach. Blaise was sitting by the windows that looked into the lake, scribbling away some last minute homework of sorts. Katie gave me one last smile before turning and joining him.

“What the bloody hell are you wearing?” Malfoy muttered as I walked towards him, his eyes dragging down my legs. I rolled mine, readjusting the strap of the leather bag he had gotten me for Christmas. I hadn’t worn it enough to settle onto a proper length. As I was fixing the buckle, I answered him.

“Umbridge changed the uniform policy. The girls have to wear our skirts year-round now,” I groaned, reaching down and tugging the hem down. The stockings were covering most of my legs, as well as my typical robes. The skirt shouldn’t be too revealing if I didn’t take those off.

“I mean, you look hot as hell,” Malfoy complimented, and the comment managed to get a giggle out of me. I had been irritated all morning, having to deal with Pansy’s whining and trying to figure out the skirt. A smile lifted the corners of his mouth up at my reaction, but it was quickly wiped off by a scowl. “Maybe my mum should say something. She was Head Girl back in her day, she had everyone wrapped around her finger. Her opinion would probably matter more so than my father’s, at least on this.”

Pulling the _‘my mother will hear about this’_ card, that was new. I sighed, letting my hands rest on the collar of his robes. Smoothing them out, I bit down on my lip as I finally dragged my gaze up to meet his.

“I swear, she’ll only listen to Pansy,” I scoffed, now fiddling with the knot of his tie. I tightened it a bit, pushing it up to his neck. He smelled intoxicating, like always. Malfoy’s hands found a hold on my waist, and my breath hitched in my throat.

“Then you get Pansy to talk to her,” Malfoy lectured like a father, one hand leaving my waist to brush a strand of hair out of my face. “Or I’ll buy you a new skirt. Ten, even. However many you need. Because you look hot, but I don’t want other guys looking at you.”

“Speaking of buying things for me,” I attempted to change the topic. “Doesn’t my bag look beautiful?” I stepped away from Malfoy, hauling my bag around my shoulder so it rested in front of my stomach. The metal hardware gleamed as brightly as it had before Christmas break, even with my fingerprints all over the buckles. His gaze dropped, a small smirk forming on his face.

“Almost as beautiful as the girl wearing it,” he joked. It was weird to carry a bag on one shoulder, but it was kind of fun to match with him. In a form of gratitude, I pushed myself up onto the balls of my feet, steadied myself with a firm grasp on either side of his neck, and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. 

He turned his head into my touch, and it didn’t take long for the two of us to start kissing normally. Lips to lips, that is. God, kissing him was, like, my favorite thing to do. He was just so strong, and broad, and always smelled good, and he always knew where to hold me-

“Get a room!” Blaise yelled from across the common room, and a thud followed quickly after. Probably Katie slapping him with a book.

Only pulling millimeters away, Malfoy answered quickly. “Fuck off, Zabini! I’ll shove you through that window and you’ll never be seen again.”

Blaise only responded with a mocking version of what Malfoy had just said, making his voice higher and whinier than what Malfoy’s actually was. I pulled away from Malfoy further to let out a laugh at Blaise’s impersonation, but Malfoy never let his hold on my upper arms go. His hands skimmed down until they were holding my hands, and I leaned back, fully putting my trust in him.

“C’mon, let’s go to the Great Hall. I’m starving,” I said, tugging Malfoy towards me. I waved a quick goodbye to Blaise and Katie, and soon enough, Malfoy and I were out the door.

The walk to breakfast went as usual. For whatever reason, barely any students were roaming the halls, even though it was thirty minutes before the first bell rang. I clasped Malfoy’s left hand in my right, the two swinging together as we walked. We never really held hands much, especially since we were usually with the others.

It wasn’t a secret that Malfoy and I were dating, but we still got a few looks from those we passed. Unconsciously, I tugged my skirt down every few steps, even though it was hidden by my robes. Maybe I should take Malfoy up on those skirts.

When we finally entered the Great Hall, murmurs were running up and down the house tables. Umbridge still had her small-group rule instated, so those who approached the doors immediately went to their respective table. I suppose it was sad, not seeing friend groups hanging around and talking before classes began.

I held my chin high as Malfoy directed us to the left, my free hand holding on tight to the strap of my bag. With him by my side, I felt more powerful than usual. A small smirk sat on my face as we approached the Slytherin table to see Alexia sitting alone.

Quickly sweeping my eyes down the table, I saw Jack sitting with Crabbe and Goyle, the three of them engrossed in a conversation. Good. At least Alexia wasn’t bothering Jack anymore. As we passed her, I unraveled my grip on my strap and gave her a quick, taunting wave of my fingers. Her eyes narrowed as she looked from me to Malfoy, but his attention was elsewhere. Specifically, on a first-year who was chugging an obscene amount of coffee on a dare. A look of disgust was etched over his features, and once the boy noticed it, the coffee mug was long forgotten. Malfoy really was who so many younger Slytherins yearned to be.

Malfoy and I dropped down next to Jack, me sandwiched between the two. As I was reaching for a bagel, Crabbe spoke.

“D’ya hear?” he asked, and I looked to Malfoy like he would know what Crabbe was referring to. He looked equally as confused, so I turned back to Crabbe. “Umbridge became headmistress.”

My mouth dropped open in shock, and Malfoy stiffened beside me. Jack didn’t react as much, so I assumed he already knew. Probably what the three were talking about before we arrived. “What?” I breathed out, my gaze already shifting to the professor’s table. Sure enough, Umbridge was sat in the middle, a smug smirk on her face as she stirred her tea. Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.

“Something to do with Dumbledore, I heard. No one knows for certain, though,” Goyle jumped in, and Jack nodded in agreement. I frowned, angrily starting to pick apart my bagel. Cream cheese didn’t sound as appetizing anymore. With Umbridge as headmistress, I could only imagine what else she had up her sleeve.

Blaise and Katie joined us a few minutes later, and Crabbe and Goyle caught them up as well. Breakfast seemed to be proceeding as normal until Umbridge cleared her throat and dinged her spoon against a glass. Students immediately quieted, turning towards the front of the Great Hall.

I reached out for Malfoy’s hand for a sense of comfort among this uncertainty. He took it easily, his thumb swiping over my fingers as we waited patiently for Umbridge’s announcement. His shoulders were squared and taut, meaning he was just as anxious as I was. Once she had the undivided attention of each and every student, she set her glass down.

“I do hope all you lovely students had a relaxing and well-deserved Christmas break,” she started off, clasping her hands in front of her chest. My gaze shifted to her left, seeing that Snape had turned his attention back to his breakfast and was eating, having long forgotten about Umbridge. A small smirk crossed my face, amused by his reaction.

“Now, I’m sure some of you have already heard if you’ve read today’s _Daily Prophet_. Front page, if you would like to see for yourself. I’ve officially replaced Headmaster Dumbledore as your headmistress, and I’m certain you will all treat me with the level of respect that you gave him.” A quiet murmur danced through the Great Hall, reserved snickers and giggles joining in. I know for a fact everyone was ticked that she was the new headmistress, but I also knew no one would take her seriously. I rolled my eyes, leaning into Malfoy’s shoulder as she continued.

“This, of course, is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-eight,” Umbridge addressed the hall, but many were starting to lose interest. Even I had returned to my breakfast now, smearing cream cheese over the sliced bagel. Malfoy still sat at attention, though his grip was tight on my thigh.

“Now, before I release you for the rest of your breakfast, I have one more decree I’d like to initiate,” Umbridge cleared her throat, and I brought my attention away from the bagel. It sat limply in my grip as I watched her dramatically unroll a scroll. Typically, any new decrees were just hung in front of the Great Hall, she rarely made announcements like this. It must be something big, now that she was Headmistress.

“By Educational Decree Number Twenty-Nine, the boys and girls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are not permitted to be within six inches of each other,” Umbridge lowered the scroll once she finished reading, her eyes scanning the Great Hall. To be fair, there _was_ a moment of stunned silence before each and every house broke out in protest. Shouting and groaning immediately filled the air, most of the Gryffindors already standing on the table and yelling obscenities. I couldn’t help but smirk when I saw the red hair of the twins pop up high above the rest.

“She’s off her rocker!” Blaise breathed out from across the table, and Katie turned to him worriedly, like he was a soldier going off to war. I slammed my bagel back down onto my plate, not caring about the cream cheese that definitely got all over my palm.

I looked to Malfoy, who was at a complete loss for words. His eyebrows were furrowed together and his grasp had tightened on my hand, but neither of us could come up with the right thing to say. We just looked at each other hopelessly. Rationally, I knew it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but the stupid decree meant so much change. No more sitting next to him in class, no more walking together in the hallways. Studying, even, was going to be different.

“Effective immediately!” Umbridge screeched, the sound high-pitched and ear-splitting as it bounced around the walls of the Great Hall. It somehow broke through the yelling and shouting, which made me think she had used a spell to be overheard. Or maybe her voice was just that irritating. Katie was the first to stand, though it was still slow and hesitant. 

Stubbornly, I stayed put and picked my bagel back up again. Malfoy nudged my elbow as the others were beginning to stand, but I simply ignored him as I scooped up some more cream cheese with a knife.

“What the bloody _hell_ are you doing?” he hissed, bending down at the wait as he had already stood. At the sudden change in demeanor, I looked up at him and took a bite. “Wilkinson, get your ass up. Right now. You are not going to get another detention from her because you won’t get up.”

I rolled my eyes, and swiveled to sit normally again. I knew he was probably right, but a part in me wanted to go against each and every rule Umbridge made. Hell, I was already breaking the uniform code today. What’s one more.

“I said get _up_ ,” Malfoy snapped, and wrapped his hand around my upper arm. I wasn’t expecting it, so I found myself being pulled up from the bench against my will. My bagel was forgotten for the second time this morning, tumbling back onto the wood and landing with a soft _splat_. Now angry, I ripped my arm from his hold and shot a hard glare at him. I hated it when he told me what to do. And I hated it even more when he went along with Umbridge’s orders. We both knew full well that he could easily get around them.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” I said as menacingly as I could, but Malfoy’s stare only became harder. A snarl sat on his lips as he bent down to get my bag, shoving it roughly into my arms when I straightened. Even when we were in a stupid fight, he still babied me. Kind of, I suppose, since the contact of my bag against my chest hurt a bit more than I’m sure he had meant for it to.

“C’mon, Olive. You really don’t need another detention,” Katie reasoned from behind me, her voice soft. I felt her hand grab mine, and I twirled dramatically on my heel. Malfoy stood still until Jack clapped his hand over his shoulder, and the two boys walked to the other end of the table.

The first day of classes after break _really_ sucked this year.

The girls of Slytherin were sat in the back half of the table, nearest the entrance to the Great Hall. Pansy was already sitting with Millicent and Tracey, the three of them whining about the rule. I let Katie guide me to sit across from them.

I had lost any remnants of my appetite after this morning’s events, so I found myself trying to set the table on fire with the intensity of my glare. It wasn’t until I felt someone drop down next to me that I looked up.

“Never thought Draco would be into whores,” Alexia smirked as she eyed my skirt. Sitting down, it rode up even more than when I walked. “You must have really cheap rates, then.”

Her snide remark was the tiny thing that sent me over the edge that I had been teetering on all morning. I could practically hear Malfoy’s voice in the back of my mind, begging me to refrain from what I was going to do next. I ignored it.

“You little bitch-” I didn’t need to finish my sentence before I snagged Katie’s bowl of oatmeal from right under her nose. For whatever reason, especially in my cloudy state of mind, I had remembered she had brought it from when we were sitting with the boys. The issue with the skirt had started my descent today, and Umbridge’s new decree and the brief fight with Malfoy had only steepened it.

“Olive!” Katie gasped, and Pansy looked over. But, really, only to see Alexia’s mouth hanging wide open as soupy, brown-sugary oatmeal dripped down her face. The bowl, surprisingly enough, was a perfect fit for her incredibly gigantic head. I smirked at the job I had done, extremely satisfied to see her at a loss for words for once. 

The silence at the girl’s end of the table caught the boy’s attention. Soon enough, the entire Slytherin table was dead silent, and the other house tables looked over in confusion. I finally tore my gaze from Alexia to see Malfoy and Jack down the table.

Jack had his head in his hands, his shoulders drawn high in a sharp inhale. Malfoy, on the other hand, had never looked so angry. And the thing was, he was angry with me. Guilt immediately washed over me, and I looked back to Alexia. I wasn’t going to help her, that was for sure, but my mind cleared and I realized that I probably shouldn’t have done that.

“Oh, Miss Wilkinson. It’s always you, isn’t it?” I heard that annoying voice come from behind me, and I didn’t have to turn to know who it was. “You two, my office. Now.”

Alexia whined and moped the entire walk to Umbridge’s office, claiming that the oats were ruining her hair and the sugar was burning her eyes. I walked behind the two, constantly shooting daggers into Alexia’s back as she wiped her sleeves over her face repeatedly. Umbridge was consoling her, one arm wrapped around her shoulders as we journeyed down the hallway.

The second we were sitting in those god-awful pink chairs, Alexia opened her mouth.

“It’s all Olive’s fault, Professor Umbridge! All I did was come up and sit with her because of the new decree - which, might I add, is perfectly understandable - and she dumped oatmeal on my head because she wasn’t sitting next to her boyfriend!” Alexia nearly shouted, getting so emotional that she was sitting on the edge of the chair. I, however, was slumped back, poking my tongue into the side of my mouth as I looked from her to Umbridge. Nothing I could say would sway Umbridge’s mind, so I decided against even trying.

At the mention of a boyfriend, my lips parted involuntarily. I suppose Umbridge could’ve connected the dots for herself, but Malfoy nor I had ever told her for certain.

“A boyfriend, hm?” Umbridge ignored everything else Alexia had said, cocking an eyebrow and turning to me. I shifted under her gaze, much more intimidated than I’d like to be. When I didn’t immediately answer, Umbridge cleared her throat, pursed her lips, and interocked her hands on top of her desk. She was purely antagonizing me now, I knew it.

“Olive’s dating Draco, Professor,” Alexia blurted out before I could respond, but Umbridge’s stare stayed set on me. It was like I could see the wheels turning in her demented mind, the fingers on her right hand tapping against the knuckles on her left.

“Is that so?” Umbridge pressed on further, and I could only offer a reluctant nod. There had been a fleeting moment where I had thought about denying it, but I found myself nodding before I even realized. Immediately, I regretted it. There was no reason for Umbridge to be all up in my business.

“Well, Alexia, dear, I’d like to promote you in the Inquisitorial Squad for that delightful insight. You’ll be working alongside Miss Parkinson, now,” Umbridge smiled sweetly at Alexia, who smirked. She dismissed Alexia, writing an excuse note for her first class. The two of us sat in silence as Alexia stood and gathered her things.

I could tell Umbridge was about to speak when her office door blew open. Turning around, I saw Snape standing in the doorway, blocking Alexia’s exit. She squeaked in fear when she saw him, scrambling to a stop before he let her through without so much as a second thought. He never really once acknowledged her presence.

“Dolores, I believe we came to the understanding that whenever Miss Wilkinson earns herself a detention, I will be administering them,” Snape glowered down at Umbridge, coming to a halt besides my chair. I began to fiddle with the latches on my bag nervously, averting my gaze to Umbridge’s desk.

Malfoy must’ve told him, or Jack. Either way, Snape was here. And to, hopefully, save my ass. As always.

“We did indeed, Severus,” Umbridge nodded in agreement, and my eyes immediately narrowed in suspicion. She had gone along with his reminder much too easily. “However, that accommodation was made when I was the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. As Headmistress, I do believe I have much more authority.” 

Whoop, there it was.

Snape cleared his throat, but Umbridge spoke once more.

“That is, more authority over both _you_ and Miss Wilkinson,” her eyes shrunk into slits as she threatened Snape’s position as professor. Quite honestly, I wouldn’t put it past her to fire him immediately. Yet some small part of me felt the need to speak up, accept the detention. After all, I did get myself into this. And I also couldn’t begin to imagine what Snape would do to me if I cost him his job.

“When is the detention?” I sighed, looking back up at Umbridge. She paused for a second, and I think she was actually debating on whether or not to expel me. However, if she did initiate some stupid decree that was based on the grounds of oatmeal-throwing, it would be made after the actual incident. Technically, I couldn’t be punished by that.

“Tonight. And bring Mr. Malfoy with you, please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been seeing a few comments asking about my update schedule. I don’t really have a solid answer, and I know that’s unsatisfying. If you don’t know me at all (lol), I’m currently going into my second semester of junior year as a mechanical engineering student. On top of that, I’m also in charge of some undergraduate research now since I’m back on campus. Basically, it’s getting to be much harder to find time to write chapters all at once with homework and schedules and being on campus. Shout out to all you readers that were around when I used to update daily, that was clearly my peak lmfao.
> 
> Anyways, I don’t have a super concrete schedule for posting anymore. On the days that I do, I typically post between 12-2 pm PST. I do my best to try and get out chapters as much as I can, so please keep that in mind. Thank you for reading and supporting this though!!! I really do appreciate each and every one of you :) There’s still much planned for this, so I hope you’re as excited as I am.


	71. chapter sixty-six

My heart sunk at Umbridge’s request.

_“And bring Mr. Malfoy with you, please.”_

I knew Malfoy was mad with me the second I caught his eyes in the Great Hall. And I couldn’t even begin to imagine his reaction to me telling him Umbridge requested his presence as well.

Letting my gaze drop to my hands, I cleared my throat. I could hear Umbridge’s leather chair squeak as she shifted in it, but I didn’t look up. Maybe I should just suck it up, and tell myself no more detentions.

My response was a lot more submissive and agreeable than I typically would’ve liked. “Okay.”

“And you know what time, Miss Wilkinson?” Umbridge questioned, and I merely nodded my head.

“Very well, you may go.”

I took a deep breath as I stood, pulling the strap of my bag onto my shoulder. Snape was standing by the door, and he offered me a small head nod as I slipped past him. What I wasn’t expecting, however, was Malfoy leaning against the wall across the hallway.

He was practically shaking with anger, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. I’m sure it was in an effort to keep him from punching the wall. Personally, and I had never seen it, but Jack always claimed Malfoy had a tendency to beat up the lockers after Slytherin lost a quidditch match. In another situation, I’d almost consider it attractive.

I didn’t have to look to know Snape was already stalking down the hallway. His robes were snapping around as he walked briskly, and the noise faded as he turned a corner. The Dark Arts classroom door swung shut behind me, closing Malfoy and I off from Umbridge.

“You’re unbelievable,” Malfoy finally muttered, shaking his head as he turned so his back was completely against the wall. The jab only ignited the flame deep inside my stomach that had been sedated while I was in Umbridge’s office, and I scoffed. I wasn’t going to do this with him, at least not right now.

So, I turned sharply on my heel and started down the opposite direction Snape had taken. I figured our first class wasn’t supposed to start for another twenty minutes. Honestly, no part of me wanted to even go. Hiding under my sheets didn’t seem like a horrible idea.

I only got in a few strides before Malfoy was right at my side. He reached up quickly, grabbing onto my upper arm like he had earlier in the Great Hall. I didn’t get a chance to protest, Malfoy having already tugged me into an empty classroom.

“I _told_ you to just, for once, act decent around Umbridge! Is that too hard for you to wrap your head around? Can’t you just do as I say?” Malfoy’s tone was antagonizing, and my mouth fell open in shock. He hadn’t spoken to me like this since third year, probably. Really, too long ago for me to exactly pinpoint. “And today, of all days, is the one you chose to not listen.” 

I ignored his last comment, not really sure what he meant.

“ _For once_?” I spat back, looking over his shoulder as he slammed the classroom door shut. The glass panes in the door shook with the force he applied, the rattling noise echoing throughout the room for a split second. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means, _Wilkinson_ , you clearly don’t think about anything before you do it,” Malfoy seethed, and I let an exasperated sigh out. Turning on my heel so I faced away from him, one hand came to rake through my hair while the other dropped my bag on the ground. I didn’t even care that the leather was undoubtedly getting scuffed by the rubble and dust. It looked like this classroom hadn’t been used in years, honestly.

“Oh, that’s such a load. You’re one to talk anyways, _Malfoy_ ,” I said through gritted teeth, continuing to stalk further into the classroom. Any way to get further away from him. I couldn’t believe he was starting a fight.

“Oh, is that so?” Malfoy egged me on, causing me to spin back around. I’m sure any ounce of confusion behind my eyes had morphed into pure anger. I suppose it didn’t really matter, though, since his matched mine. His chest was heaving with each breath, his hair slightly mussed from running his fingers through it one too many times. At some point since breakfast, he had loosened his tie, so the knot hung limply under his neck.

“I don’t recall you thinking before you snapped at the Weasley boys after that quidditch match and called Mrs. Weasley fat,” I started, holding up one taunting finger as I began to count. “And I don’t recall you thinking before you punched Jack back in third year.” My middle finger joined. “And I don’t recall-”

“ _I can’t think straight around you_!” Malfoy shouted, cutting me off. Even still, a third finger slowly extended but the classroom fell into a deafening sentence. We stayed put, glaring at each other with ten feet separating us. “Is that what you want to hear? That I can’t - I can’t logically rationalize any of my actions when I’m around you? That I do things without thinking because you’re just - _fuck_ \- you’re just _there_? You make me do things that make me hate myself!”

Slowly, I brought my hand down to dangle by my side as it normally did. My fingers unraveled as his words repeated in my mind. _You make me do things that make me hate myself_. Averting my gaze, I looked anywhere but him. My eyes traced over the stone blocks, up a table leg, across the top.

The silence that hung in the room was heavier than I ever could’ve imagined. I felt like I was being held underwater, being pushed through the floor and into the dungeons and beyond. My heart stopped and my eyes unfocused as the words repeated over and over. Malfoy swallowed thickly, the noise much more pronounced in the current state of the classroom.

“Olive, I-” he started, but I didn’t think twice before I interrupted him.

“That is not my fault,” my voice was barely above a whisper, but I knew he heard it. “You cannot blame me for your actions. That isn’t fair, and that’s _not_ what a boyfriend does.”

Malfoy’s breath hitched in his throat. I turned back around, bringing a shaky hand to cover my mouth. There was no way this was actually happening. And it was all because of Umbridge.

“And you know what? I think I’m beginning to see what everyone has warned me about.” I murmured, twisting my wrist so I could bite down on my forefinger to suppress the sobs that were threatening to burst out. I guess I didn’t really mean to let that slip out, but it was already said. Those words were already hanging in the air. 

“W-What?” Malfoy whispered, and I could hear the sound of his shoes approaching over the stone. It seemed like we were always in time with one another, our hearts beating in sync when we were an arm's length away. But now, in this moment, my heart was hammering brutally against my ribcage, and Malfoy’s footsteps were as slow as ever.

We were falling out of sync.

“Olive, what do you mean?” he asked quietly, coming to a stop a few paces behind me. I turned my head away, hiding my face.

“I dunno,” my voice was small. “You go off saying things like that, and it just makes sense, y’know?”

“Saying things like what?” Malfoy parroted dumbly. I almost laughed.

“That I make you do things that make you hate yourself,” I murmured, an involuntary sniffle escaping my nose. I couldn’t cry. At least not now.

Malfoy let out an exasperated sigh, one hand coming to rub over his face until it settled over his mouth. “Y’know I meant it like I hate myself for not being what you deserve. That I can’t ever do the right things around you, that I can’t be enough for you.”

Although his correction was sweet in nature, it didn’t exactly explain why he had said it in such a rage. I didn’t know any better when he had said it first. It truly had sounded like he intended for it to come across with pure malice, to make me feel guilty.

“Yeah,” I agreed quietly, offering little more than a chin nod in response. Reaching forward, I wrapped my fingers around the edge of a table and hunched over it. Trying to slow my heart was much harder than I thought it would’ve been. Closing my eyes, I soaked in the brief solace, the fleeting moment we weren’t fighting. Then he opened his mouth again, and the flame reignited.

“Listen, we wouldn’t be in this mess if you would’ve just kept it together around Alex-”

I didn’t let Malfoy finish saying her name. “ _Kept it together_?” Repeating his words wasn’t exactly the best comeback, but it gave me enough time to think of what was to follow. “She called me a whore because of my skirt! What, was I not supposed to do anything about it? I barely _kept it together_ all of New Year’s, with all her jabs and snide insults and whatnot.”

“Since when do you care what people think of you?” Malfoy scoffed, completely bypassing Alexia’s comment. My mind flashed back to New Year’s Eve. It felt like years ago, not a few days.

 _I couldn’t help but wonder what others thought when they saw the two of us. He was so confident, so stoic, so_ perfect. And I wasn’t sure where this insecurity came from, if there was something in the damp air of the underground, but I just felt so inferior to him. Like I would never be really enough, even if he convinced me every waking moment.

“I started caring about it when we started dating!” I snapped back, my hands beginning to shake. I trapped my thumbs under my fingers in an effort to suppress it. “I mean, look at you! People merely _see_ you, and they’re either scared shitless or they, like, worship you! Are you that dense that you haven’t noticed that?”

“Don’t call me dense,” Malfoy’s voice was low, like it was a warning. But still, he ignored everything else I had said, like he had regarding Alexia. I wasn’t sure why he was deflecting, but I hated it. He didn’t seem to be taking this as seriously as I was. Or at least, he didn’t want to talk through it.

“ _God_ , sometimes I just - I just, like, I _hate_ dating you,” My sentence was fragmented and uneven, but the words still somehow slipped out. I immediately regretted them, bringing my hand to my mouth like it would’ve somehow kept them in. We had both said things we didn’t mean, but I don’t suppose that really mattered.

“Maybe I hate dating you too!” Malfoy suddenly yelled back, and I jumped at his outburst. He took a few menacing steps towards me, his hands clenched into fists by his side. “There! Then you can kill me and I can kill you and then this whole thing can be over and Mrs. Norris can find our dead bodies!”

My lips parted as I took in Malfoy’s change in demeanor. His breathing was ragged, his chest heaving terribly fast and his lips pulled back in a snarl. I hadn’t seen him like this, ever. He turned sharply on his heel, hiding his face from me as he began to pace back and forth. I could hear his faint mumbling, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying.

“What the bloody hell are you talking about? You think we’re Romeo and Juliet, or some shit?” I shouted back, crossing my arms firmly across my chest. Cocking my head, I taunted him for a response.

“That stupid Muggle thing you made me promise before. Piggie promise, or whatever. And now we have to off each other since you broke it,” Malfoy threw over his shoulder, and I nearly laughed. If I did, it would have certainly been empty and bitter.

“That’s not even a real thing, Malfoy. I only said it was because you didn’t know and it was funny,” I said through an exasperated sigh, unraveling my arms. Malfoy stopped pacing, though he continued to keep his back to me. I let my gaze wander over his shoulderblades, and up to the sliver of his face I could barely see. He had long forgotten his robes at some point, the heap of black wool on the floor. His usually crisp white button-up was a bit tousled and wrinkled, especially around his waist from all his twisting and pacing.

I suppose part of me almost enjoyed fighting with him. When we did, tensions were high, yes, but so were emotions. The emotions that, in a way, told us just how much we cared for the other. It wasn’t a perfect science, but he was the only boy I would raise my voice this high for. Really, the only boy I would be this vulnerable and emotional around.

So it was extremely unsettling when I received nothing from him. Not one look, not one sigh, not even a whispered response. The classroom hung in silence for what seemed like the millionth time this morning. I merely stared at his back, waiting, begging for him to turn around so we could continue on. Even if it was through pained yells and hoarse shouts, I wanted us to continue on. I just needed an affirmation that he still cared, still wanted to work things out. We always did.

Biting down on my lip, I hoisted myself onto a nearby table and let my legs dangle over. Grasping the edge of the table tightly, I bent my neck and started to trace the knitted design of my stockings. I would wait until he wanted to talk.

I’m not exactly sure how much time passed until Malfoy spoke. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him turn around and take the few steps that separated us.

“Do you remember what I told you at the beginning of the year?” Malfoy whispered, ducking his head down so he could see my face. “That I’m terrified of putting you in the crosshairs of something I have no control over? And that you’ll get hurt?”

I barely nodded, my chin feeling like it only bobbed two millimeters.

“I think - I think that already happened,” he quietly admitted, and I felt my heart start to shatter. His tone was gentle, like he was tip-toeing around the subject. We had never explicitly said the words before, but we both knew exactly what he had alluded to if I did get hurt. We would break up.

But I suppose it was true, that I had been put in danger. It wasn’t necessarily Malfoy’s fault, but I knew he would never believe me. New Year’s had been unsettling, especially with how I trusted Ivan so easily on the mere aspect that he resembled Malfoy. I had been too naive, and it was dangerous. I hadn’t heard much more about the infiltration plan that Avery had proposed, but Malfoy was right, anyways. If I was put up for that, I’d be caught in those crosshairs if the plan went awry. And it would, given Hermione’s spelled parchment.

Malfoy and I had to grow up. We never talked much more about it after I held him close in my bed on New Year’s, but we both knew things _were_ getting bad. And fast.

It was reality.

“Is that - is that it, then?” I murmured, finally looking up to meet his gaze. It was a mistake, though. Immediately, his emotions washed over me, filled my lungs, and I felt like I was drowning yet again. His lips parted and he took a breath like he was preparing to answer, but nothing came out. It was a loaded question, one that neither of us knew the answer to.

My heart seized when I heard him start to speak. Because it really only meant one of two things.

“I just - well, I just don’t know how - how I’m supposed to be a good-” Malfoy inhaled sharply, and I looked away from him. He was stammering, tripping over his words as he tried to string together a coherent thought. A clear tell that he was as anxious as I was. “A good boyfriend if I keep-” Another inhale pierced through the still air. “If I keep hurting you.”

The two of us stood in silence for a few moments. I could feel his gaze on my cheek, but my eyes were busy tracing the concrete blocks that made up the classroom’s floor.

My response was lame, but it was the best I could do given the plummeting descent my heart was currently on. “I suppose that’s it then, isn’t it?”

“Do you want it to be?” he breathed out instantly.

How in the hell did things get so complicated so fast? Last week, he and I were watching Christmas movies together, drinking hot chocolate in my kitchen. Hell, we were even poking fun at Alexia right under her nose. And now, I couldn’t even bring myself to look at him.

But I couldn’t prepare myself for the inevitable crash of emotions if he and I didn’t agree on this. If I said no, and he said yes, it would crush me. And it really seemed like he wanted to say yes. I felt like I couldn’t get inside his head anymore, couldn’t know what he was thinking. I wasn’t sure if he was guarding himself purposefully, or if that ability was slipping through my fingers.

For the first time in a while, and especially the first time with _him_ , I couldn’t be sure of anything. Of anything I wanted to say, or think, or even ask. It was scaring me. I needed to get out. I wanted to leave this classroom with that question still up in the air. Because if I didn’t answer, then we could pretend this never happened.

So, keeping my gaze fixated on the ground, I slipped off the table to walk past him. My vision started to blur as I bent down to pick up my bag. I could hear him calling my name, but it was faint, like he was a million miles away. He only spun in place, his eyes trailing me as I walked towards the door with my head hung.

Just as I was about to reach for the door handle, a spell came fizzling over my shoulder and hit the wood. I jumped as the sparks disintegrated, a crackle and a sharp _thunk_ filling the air as the lock turned. 

The bastard had locked the door. If there was one thing Malfoy seemed to have the ability to do today, it was to make me angry. Rationally, I knew the door was locked. But even still, I gripped the handle tighter and began to wiggle it erratically. Maybe I could just rip the damn thing open.

“It’s locked, Olive,” he muttered from behind me, and I heard him place his wand on an empty table. With a final huff, I gave the handle one last pull, but it wouldn’t budge a millimeter.

“I want out,” I mumbled, kicking weakly at the bottom of the door. My back was still turned to him, and I felt my breathing start to pick up once more.

When he didn’t say anything, I flipped the flap of my schoolbag open and dug for my wand. Honestly, this just happened to be the one time I didn’t keep it in the pockets of my robes.

“ _Alohomora_ ,” I flicked the tip of my wand at the doorknob, and I heard the lock switch open.

Before I even got a chance to turn the knob, Malfoy sent another spell over my shoulder.

“ _Colloportus_.”

 _Thunk_. Now annoyed, I rolled my eyes.

“ _Alohomora_.”

 _Thunk_.

“ _Colloportus_.”

The lock turned for a third time. The simple gesture angered me, and I spun on my heel. My emotions were already short today, I wasn’t about to let Malfoy send me over the edge before the clock struck nine. 

“I swear to God, Malfoy,” I snapped at him. I’m not exactly sure what came over me, but I found my wand raised and pointed directly at his chest. My entire body was shaking, making my grip a trembly one. His eyes widened, but the reaction was brief as his wand was soon mirroring mine.

Maybe a quick duel would be more entertaining than Charms. I steadied my footing, narrowing my eyes at him. “Go on, grow a pair. Shoot first, I dare you.”

Malfoy scoffed. “I am not doing this with you, Olive. Put down your wand and tell me if you want this to be it.”

“What do you want?” I shot back, tightening my loosening grip on my wand. My bottom lip started to tremble, so I bit down on it to keep it still. The heavy air in the classroom was suffocating as we glared at each other.

I really was expecting Malfoy to retaliate right back, to boomerang the question around. Instead, his gaze flicked past me as he thought of a response. His hand lowered, and soon, his wand was dangling by his leg. He was letting his guard down, but I still couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

“I want to stop hurting you, Olive,” he admitted, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. As much as I forced myself to believe otherwise, to hold onto that comfort of him inside me, it was false hope. Malfoy really did want to break up. “You know you don’t deserve being hurt. Especially by me. And I just - I just don’t see how I can start doing that unless-”

“No-” The interjection was breathy and frail. It must’ve not been loud enough, as Malfoy never looked back at me.

“We break up.”

And there I was, standing in front of him with my heart in pieces around my feet. My bottom lip slipped free from my teeth’s hold, the tremor just too much to bear. Like his did moments ago, I lowered my wand and let my gaze fall to the floor. I couldn’t form a single coherent response. It felt like my brain had gone numb.

For the second time in this god damned classroom, I turned my back to him as I faced towards the door. Malfoy stayed silent behind me, but I could feel the intensity of his gaze on my back. As I inhaled a deep breath, I brought my gaze up to meet the door’s lock. Still turned horizontal, still locked, still keeping me in here with him-

“ _Alohomora_.”

Malfoy unlocked it from behind me, though his voice was barely more than a hoarse whisper. It’s stupid, how the simple turning of a lock had infuriated five minutes ago, yet broke my heart just now. And that sob, which had been threatening to spill out ever since we stepped foot inside, was finally given a green light. And Malfoy was giving me the green light to leave.

And that was it.

My shoulders drew up in a shaky inhale as I reached for the door, pushing it open. Without a second look, I let myself out and into the hallway. It was deserted, not a single sign of anyone. I didn’t even know what time it was, or if our first class had already started.

I flinched when the door swung shut behind me. The echo bounced between the walls of the hallway, fading away as the seconds passed. I was back to feeling numb.

Reaching up to swipe at my cheeks, I regathered myself with my back to that door. If Malfoy wanted to break up, so be it. If he didn’t want to make this work, so be it.

I was just beginning to head down the hallway when I heard a loud crash from the other side of the door. And then another, and another. Perhaps Jack was right, when he spoke about Malfoy’s behavior after he lost a quidditch match.

Wiping at my eyes once more, I picked up my pace and hurried away from the classroom. My mind got lost in itself as I practically ran down the hallway, instinctively rounding corners when needed. I knew where I was going, but it was like I was on auto-pilot.

“Where you goin’? Charms classroom is the other way, Olive!”

I looked up when I heard Jack’s voice ring through the air, a cheerful smile on his face. He had been walking to Charms with Blaise and Goyle, the three rushing as they were already a bit late. It was quickly washed off, though, once he took in my red nose and watery eyes. In a second flat, his eyebrows knitted together and his lips parted as his gaze swept over me. “What happened? Where’s Malfoy?”

A pang shot through my heart at the mention of his name, a feeling that I never thought I’d ever have to experience. It was sorrowful and filled with regret. I had just left him in there by himself as he ripped the classroom to shreds. Fuck, maybe I should go back-

“Olive?” Jack pulled me back down once more, and I blinked a few times as I brought my gaze up to meet his. I hadn’t felt it, but both his hands were on my shoulders and he had his neck craned downwards. Blaise and Goyle were standing behind him, the two equally as confused. 

Clearing my throat, I averted my gaze. Jack kept his hold firm, his eyes begging me to tell him the truth. “I think - I think we broke up.”

Jack’s inhale was sharp as he suddenly realized. He immediately brought me into a tight hug, his arms wrapping securely around my shoulders as my face smushed into the crest of his robes. I didn’t give a single shit about Umbridge’s new rule, so I snaked my arms around his back and hid my face from the others. My shoulders started racking in his hold, muffled cries slipping out.

“Go on, I’ve got her,” Jack murmured from above me, and I felt one hand leave my shoulder to wave Blaise and Goyle on. I didn’t see it, but the two gave me a sympathetic smile and a small nod before they continued on their way.

Jack’s hand began to rub small circles in my back, a gentle humming coming from him as he tried to calm me down. “C’mon, we can skip Charms. But let’s get outta here, Lord knows we don’t need a detention from Umbridge because we’re breaking January fourth’s rule.”

A small, sad giggle escaped my lips at his gentle joke. Jack always did like to refer to Umbridge’s decrees as if they were daily headlines, since he claimed she practically instated a new one every day. Sniffling, I wiped at my nose with my sleeve as I pulled myself out of his grasp.

“F’llow me,” I murmured as I nodded up the staircase nearest us. Jack shot another cautionary glance over his shoulder, probably looking out for either Filch or, even worse, Umbridge. I suppose I _was_ heading for the Room of Requirement anyways, why not bring Jack along?

My heartbeat finally started to slow once we reached the seventh floor, which was a sharp contrast to Jack’s heavy breathing.

“Christ, Olive. How often do you haul it up here? You haven’t even broken a sweat,” he teased, and as soon as the D.A. crossed my mind, it was gone. I don’t know why, but I felt less guilty keeping that secret from Jack. Rationally, I knew I couldn’t tell him about it anyways because of Hermione’s charm, but even if he did know, I don’t think he would freak like Malfoy would.

“Aren’t you on the quidditch team or something?” I joked along, shooting him a small smile as we took the last few steps up the staircase. Jack only rolled his eyes, inhaling a sharp breath as his feet hit horizontal ground.

He and I walked down the hallway towards the tapestry, the corridors completely silent. Everyone should be in their first class by now, but I don’t think the seventh floor hosted many classrooms anyways.

I ignored his quizzical look as I started to pace back and forth in front of the door. Besides, I had to keep my mind on what I wanted to see once I opened the door.

“You look crazy,” he commented as I finished up the last pace. An amused huff slipped out of my nose as the door materialized, but I still let the two of us in. We were greeted with a wide array of ceramic pots and tables and crates. Perfect. I was planning to _reducto_ my way into the late afternoon, and now Jack was here to join me. 

And Malfoy, for once, was not at the front of my mind.

\---

Three hours later, Jack and I had practically blasted every object in the Room of Requirement. It didn’t really matter, though, since it would all disappear the second we left. It made me feel a bit better, blowing things up. But even still, I was waiting for the inevitable, overwhelming crash when I was alone.

It didn’t seem real, that Malfoy and I had broken up. I mean, I never really looked too far into the future with him, but it always seemed like we didn’t have to. I was his, and he was mine. And that was enough for now.

But it was real. We weren’t dating. There would be no more need for chaste kisses in the shadows of the hallways, no need for him to grab my shoulders like he always did when he stood behind me. No need to exchange cheeky glances during class. No reason to kiss him like my life depended on it.

It was over. And when I least expected it.

Jack and I spent the entire day inside the Room of Requirement. Once everything was smashed to smithereens, we performed a repairing charm and did it once more. When our wand arms grew tired, we collapsed on the ground and talked the afternoon away. It wasn’t until my stomach started grumbling that I realized I never really had a chance to eat that bagel this morning.

“You haven’t eaten today, have you?” Jack lifted his head off the pile of robes he was currently resting it on. The stone got uncomfortable after a while. I shook my head, staring up at the ceiling as I twirled my wand around in my fingers. “C’mon, let’s go get dinner before the kitchens close.”

I let Jack haul me up onto my feet, brushing the debris off my robes once I was standing. Sneaking a quick glance out the window, I saw that the sky was already darkening. With the early winter sunsets, it couldn’t be past five. Detention was at seven, and I still hadn’t relayed Umbridge’s message to Malfoy. And honestly, I wasn’t sure how I was going to.

Jack and I continued to make small talk as we made our way down to the first floor. As an extra precaution, we made sure to walk six inches away from one another. I’m not sure if he realized it, but he acted as a distraction all day. Keeping my mind off Malfoy, and I wasn’t looking forward to the moment I was alone in the dormitory. Or when I saw him in Umbridge’s office.

Before we entered the Great Hall, I pulled Jack off to the side. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked from me to over my shoulder, probably on the lookout for Umbridge again.

“If you see him-” I started, knowing Jack would understand who I was talking about. “Well, he’s supposed to be with me in detention tonight. Umbridge requested it.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Like a prefect thing? We both know that I can just do it, if you’d like.”

I shook my head, letting my gaze fall to my feet. “She specifically asked for Malfoy. It’s not gonna be good, Jack. I just know it. And I can’t tell him myself, and I didn’t get the chance to this morning, and I just-”

“I’ll tell him,” Jack interrupted my rambling, giving me a soft smile in hopes to calm my increasing nerves. I couldn’t remember the last time I had this feeling when I thought about Malfoy. The uncertainty, the anxiousness in a bad way.

“Go eat, don’t worry about it. I’ll walk in after you in case Umbridge is inside,” Jack promised, giving me a gentle shove towards the door. I nodded, swallowing thickly as I mumbled my gratitude and started for the Great Hall.

Like this morning, the girls were separated from the boys at each house table. Ignoring the far half, I searched the Slytherin table for Katie and Pansy. I was still looking when I felt Jack brush against my shoulder as he passed, an act of comfort that I don’t think he knew I needed. 

When I finally found Katie’s face in the crowd, she had the same look of sympathy that Blaise had held earlier. He must’ve told her, and I suddenly felt uneasy at the thought of her telling Pansy, and that it would get spread around the house in a matter of minutes.

Hanging my head, I walked briskly to Katie’s side and dropped down next to her. The instant I sat, she turned away from Pansy and her voice dropped to a whisper.

“Blaise told me, I’m so sorry, Olive,” she murmured, reaching for my hand and sandwiching it tightly in hers.

“It’s - It’s okay,” I managed to choke out, giving her a sad smile and placing my other hand on top of hers. “Does she-” My gaze flicked to Pansy, who had busied herself with sifting through her salad. Katie immediately shook her head, and I felt my chest loosen in relief. If Pansy didn’t know, then I was certain Alexia didn’t.

“They’re serving Caesar salad and steak, isn’t that your favorite?” Katie said brightly, giving me a final squeeze before retreating my hands. My sad smile grew into a more genuine one, and I nodded eagerly as I shifted my gaze to the middle of the table.

Dinner went quickly, and as much as I wanted to let my eyes travel down the Slytherin table, I somehow kept them reeled in. Besides, depending on where Malfoy was sitting, I couldn’t even see him.

I kept quiet for the entirety of dinner, listening in on various conversations that arose. Flitwick had assigned a particularly nasty essay, one that was already making me nervous. Our second term was mainly focusing on review for the O.W.L.s, so I had to remember everything I had learned over the years.

Once dinner ended, I decided to hole myself up in the library until detention started. Choosing a spot on the opposite corner of Malfoy and I’s, I didn’t get much done. Parchment and textbooks were sprawled out on the table in front of me, but my attention never left the window.

It was like I didn’t have the energy to cry. I just sat there, completely numb, as I tried to get Malfoy off my mind. I had really fucked up this time, both with him and Umbridge.

I kept a wary eye on the library clock, wanting to make sure I wasn’t late to detention. That was the last thing I needed. The walk to Umbridge’s office was lonely and cold, a bone-chilling draft in the hallways. I had forgotten my gloves this morning, so I kept my hands shoved deep in the pockets of my robes.

When I finally pushed the door of Umbridge’s office open, I was greeted with the back of a blonde head peeking over one of those god-awful pink chairs. He had beat me here. Umbridge was engrossed in a conversation with him, her hands clasped tightly together as she beamed at him. It seemed fairly one-sided, however, as she was doing most of the talking.

“Oh! Olive, dear, I didn’t even see you come in,” Umbridge spoke once she realized my presence. Malfoy turned in the chair, but I kept my gaze steady on her. Not exactly sure what to say, I shuffled across the floor and dropped down in the chair besides him. She had spelled over an additional one, leaving the table by the window abandoned.

Malfoy shifted in his seat, the movement almost making me look over. It took every ounce of willpower in my body not to.

“Now, it’s been brought to my attention that you two are in a relationship,” Umbridge said after she cleared her throat. “I’m sure you both remember the Educational Decree I instated over Christmas break?”

My eyes narrowed. Why the _fuck_ would we know what she passed over break? What, were we on some sort of _Umbridge Daily_ paper?

Malfoy nodded besides me, and I felt my heart seize once more. He knew what she was referring to. And he hadn’t told me.

“Well, I’m pleased to see Mr. Malfoy receives his Inquisitorial Squad owls,” Umbridge hummed happily at him, but her facial expression dropped once she turned to me. I felt each and every one of my organs fall through my stomach at the realization. She had sent a letter over break, and since I had trained Athena to ignore any parchment that was stained pink, I had never received it.

“And since you, Olive, _clearly_ don’t have the slightest clue as to what I’m referring to-” Umbridge punctuated her sentence with the sudden drop of a frame on the desk. Sitting upwards, I released the hem of my robes that I had been fiddling with. The wool slipped down my thigh as I reached forward and brought the frame into view.

**PROCLAMATION.**

**EDUCATIONAL DECREE NO. 27**

_Students are strictly prohibited from being involved in romantic relationships with one another._

_Anyone found engaging in one will be immediately expelled._

_As referred to in **Decree No. 157** of 1924,_

_formerly known to be the Ministerial_

_Management of Magical Mayhem Act No. 792/B_

_& subject to Approval by The Very Important Members of Section M.I.T.rx_

Umbridge’s stamp of approval and signature adorned the parchment, the pink ink a sharp contrast.

We were majorly fucked.

“We’re not in a relationship,” Malfoy spoke as I hopelessly reread the decree. A sharp pang shot through my heart at the reminder, but Malfoy’s voice was shaky, like he just as hurt as I was.

Umbridge arched an eyebrow. “Is that so, Mr. Malfoy?”

Malfoy swallowed thickly as he nodded to reaffirm her doubt. “So you can’t expel either of us. We haven’t broken any decrees.”

I set the frame back down on the desk, though my fingertips hung onto the edge as I froze. _So you can’t expel either of us._ Was it possible that he -

“I do believe as Hogwarts’ current headmistress, Mr. Malfoy, I have the ability to expel any student I’d like,” Umbridge started, and my eyes widened. Malfoy shifted in his seat beside me once more, straightening his spine as his lips parted. This was obviously not going the way he had expected. There was no way -

“Your disciplinary issues have proven to be a recurring problem for both you and I, Miss Wilkinson,” Umbridge turned to face me. Her eyes were hungry with power, her upper lip twitching in excitement as she finally said what she had been wanting to for ages. Writing lines wouldn’t be necessary tonight, this was the ultimate punishment.

“As of right now, Olive Wilkinson, you are no longer considered a Hogwarts student. You are expelled.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo i totally meant to not take two weeks to update, but i have gotten my shit rocked with the beginning of the semester lol. Anyways enjoy :) also woo hoo, almost 100k reads on here, that’s insane
> 
> Also yes I got very tired of writing fluff take it or leave it heh, also i’m so fucking done with fifth year it’s crazy i wanna get into the good shit
> 
> Also also, i wanna know your opinions/thoughts on this: shorter, more frequent updates or longer, less frequent updates? When I say longer, I mean about the same length as my recent chaps (6000-8000ish words, depends) and then shorter is around 4000ish


	72. chapter sixty-seven

“As of right now, Olive Wilkinson, you are no longer considered a Hogwarts student. You are expelled.”

My entire body felt like it had collapsed in on itself, and I suddenly found it incredibly difficult to even take a breath. I was shocked, my lips parted dumbly as I stared back at Umbridge’s prissy expression. Eventually, her twitching lip gave way to a full, evil smile. It took a few seconds, as I’m sure Malfoy was equally as surprised, but he was the one to interrupt her.

“I’ll be certain to send a letter to your aunt immediately, and have your registration for the O.W.L.s cancelled. You’ll have until the end of tomorrow to gather your belongings-” she started, slipping a blank sheet of parchment out of her desk.

“You can’t fucking expel her!” Malfoy shot out of his chair in a flash, the sudden movement tipping it backwards. I was able to register the crash that followed, but the sound was still faint in my head. _I had gotten myself expelled, and it was all because I wanted to be a stubborn bitch._

“Mr. Malfoy!” Umbridge nearly screeched at his outburst, but he ignored it and continued on.

“What are you, insane? Surely, Azkaban has a wing for people like you,” Malfoy scoffed, taking an intimidating step towards her desk. His shoulders were heaving like they had this morning, and I suddenly realized I was still barely holding onto the wooden frame. Gripping the edge tightly, I flung it to the ground and smirked when the glass shattered. Umbridge glanced over at me, her eyes wide until they narrowed.

“I beg your pardon-”

She cut herself off as Malfoy yanked his wand out of his pocket and with a few quick flicks, the china plates that adorned her walls crashed to the ground. His gaze never left her face, reading her response closely as she yelped out in horror at the sight of her precious china falling one by one.

“From what I recall, there is no decree regarding the _disciplinary_ issues of a student,” Malfoy snapped as he tossed his wand to his other hand and extended his arm. Umbridge hadn’t made the move to Dumbledore’s old office yet, so an additional copy of each decree hung on the wall behind her desk. Surprisingly, they weren’t painted an atrocious shade of pink.

I don’t know what came over me, but I was standing as helpless as a blubbering fish out of water. My hands were dangling at my side, simply watching Malfoy yell at Umbridge. She was turning in place frantically, her hands covering her mouth as she watched her office be torn to shreds.

“Believe that one was about wearing jeans on the weekends,” Malfoy mouthed off, releasing a stream of light from his wand that knocked one framed decree off the wall. It fell immediately, shattering on the ground. “And that one was, what, preventing students from eating sweets at the Halloween feast?”

With another sharp movement of his wrist, Malfoy sent a repeating spell down each column of the decrees with a nasty, snide comment on each rule. In turn, the frames shook and fell from the wall, crashing down to the ground in a continuous rush of shattered glass and splintered wood. He really did know more spells than he let on.

“You have made Olive’s life a living hell these past few months, and you will not ruin her future too, you disgusting half-blood,” Malfoy sneered once the last few frames fell. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say his father was making an appearance. Umbridge whipped around to face him once more, any shock now replaced with pure anger. She finally wasn’t blinded by this fictitious version of him she had created.

“Mr. Malfoy, do I need to expel you as well?” she stammered out, clearly shaken by the events that had just taken place. As she waited for her answer, she straightened the hem of her jacket with a ferocious huff.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Malfoy’s eyes narrowed as the tip of his wand became trained on her. He knew she would never, and I think she realized it as well. Her gaze dropped to his wand, seemingly becoming flustered in a split second. It was a bit entertaining, watching as her stern facade slowly crumbled. Especially under Malfoy’s, a fifth-year student, presence. Wasn’t as hard as she appeared to be.

Malfoy kept his gaze trained on her, but there was no way he didn’t notice my shuffling about beside him. A moment later, I was mirroring his stance, my wand pointed towards her too.

“Miss Wilkinson!” she exclaimed, her mouth opening and closing like a guppy. I smirked, flicking my eyebrows upwards at her. Just for pure show, I sent a quick stream of light past her shoulder. I could thank Fred for that one. She jumped away, just like I expected, and the yelp that quickly followed was exactly what I wanted to hear. The spell exploded once it hit the stone wall, sparks shooting this way and that way as it disintegrated into the air.

“How dare you-” she started, scrambling to her desk for her wand. I couldn’t give her that advantage, so I called the first spell that came to mind. It wasn’t a particularly good one, but it was enough to hold her in her office for a moment. And funnily enough, it was a hex that Snape had taught us before Christmas break.

I shot the Knee-reversal hex straight at Umbridge’s legs, and within a second, her kneecaps turned the wrong-side out. Stumbling backwards at the sudden hit and clearly disoriented, Umbridge’s knees buckled in reverse, and she slammed face-first into her desk. I almost winced at the noise of her nose surely breaking, but any remorse soon faded away as I snatched her wand from her desk.

“Holy fuck,” Malfoy muttered under his breath at the _thud_ that soon followed when her body collapsed to the ground. I almost wanted to jump into his arms, to celebrate the victory with him. Until I remembered what had happened earlier that day, and I briskly turned on my heel. Umbridge started to whine and moan from behind her desk, but I didn’t give a rat’s arse. I was already expelled, anyways.

Picking up my bag, I shouldered it quickly as I brushed past Malfoy. The bastard hadn’t told me anything about the letter Umbridge had sent out. And what made matters worse, was that he knew I didn’t get them. And he knew Jack didn’t read them, so he couldn’t have told me. And that both Katie and Blaise were on holiday, so they couldn’t have either. I had started this term with no heads-up about it. I suppose Malfoy and I were never ones for huge displays of affection in public, but it was still a risk to run.

“Olive, wait,” I heard him call after me as I made my way to the door. Umbridge was still bitching on the floor as I flung the door open. Students were supposed to be in their dormitories by now, or at least their common rooms. I nearly sighed in relief when I was met with an empty corridor.

Twirling Umbridge’s wand around in my fingers, I started my way down the hallway. I could hear Malfoy continue to call my name as he stumbled into the hallway, his schoolbag hung lazily over his shoulder. Weirdly enough, he had swapped his robes for that stupid fur coat at some point after classes.

His footsteps became louder as he jogged to catch up with me. “Olive! Would you just-”

“You knew! Fuck, you knew this whole time, that Umbridge had prohibited relationships over break, yet you still never told me!” I twirled around on my heel. Given my sudden stop, Malfoy nearly crashed into me, but he managed to skid to a halt just in time. “And now look what happened!”

“Why the hell did you think I broke up with you this morning?” Malfoy yelled, the noise echoing around the dark corridor. I grasped Umbridge’s wand tightly, my knuckles going white. “What, did you think I actually wanted to? Especially after I spent the night with you and everything over break? Merlin, Olive, I’m-”

Maybe there was a chance Malfoy had only done so to protect me from Umbridge’s punishment. It hadn’t worked, though.

“Don’t you finish that sentence,” I bit back at him, unsure as to what he was even going to say. I didn’t particularly care to stay and hear, though. No excuse he could muster up would be enough. “You do not get to use _anything_ as an excuse for the way you’ve broken my heart today,” My tone was eerily cool, and the words that Malfoy had threatened to admit hung half-finished in the air. Malfoy let out an exasperated sigh, one hand coming to rake through his hair. His wand still dangled limply in the other, resting by his thigh.

Shaking my head, I turned back around and began to stalk down the hallway. Malfoy stood dumbly for a few seconds, but he started to jog once more in an effort to keep up. I ignored his pleas, narrowing my gaze and pressing my lips into a firm line as I marched onwards. There was one place I wanted to throw Umbridge’s wand, and I was hellbent on getting there before the hex gave out. Snape never did tell us when, so I had little more than an educated guess. And Umbridge never taught us much in Dark Arts, anyways. So, really, less than an educated guess.

“Just listen to me!” Malfoy begged from beside me, one hand clasping the strap of his bag tightly as he nearly walked sideways. He groaned when I gave him no part of my attention.

It went like this the entire way to the bridge. Him pleading and whining, me ignoring. When I finally approached it, I picked up my pace. Malfoy followed suit, and although I didn’t want him there, the two of us were on the bridge in a matter of seconds.

I halted to a stop, looking down at Umbridge’s wand. It was ugly, the wood stained an odd purple hue. I wondered if Ollivander had done so himself at her request, or if she truly was paired with such a sad excuse for a wand. Probably the latter.

“Olive, please,” Malfoy murmured, sighing. I was facing out one of the arches, staring hard into the night and doing my best to keep it together. So much had happened today, and I hadn’t gotten the chance to process it.

What an evil woman Umbridge was. She had chosen me to be her stupid little prey back in September, and she hadn’t let up since. She had scarred me numerous times, exposed the death of my parents, expelled me. Now even more inflamed, I brought my knee up as my hands swung down, her wand slicing through the air. _Thwack_.

Malfoy’s breath hitched when he heard the splitting of the wood, and I was overwhelmed with a sense of satisfaction when I revealed Umbridge’s wand. It was into two parts, the core of the wand splintering out and waving in the gentle evening breeze. Given it was January, it was freezing, but that was the last thing on my mind.

I didn’t think twice before hauling her wand off the bridge. In a split second, it was engulfed by the darkness below, and I prayed it would never be seen again. She’d probably just _accio_ it, but I tried not to think about it too hard.

And in the same second that the wand disappeared, I felt my entire being become swallowed whole by the inevitable, lurking feeling I had been waiting for all day. The realization that Malfoy and I had broken up, that I had gotten expelled.

My legs gave out, and I collapsed down onto the stone of the viaduct. It didn’t take another moment for sobs to burst out of my chest, my shoulders reflecting the racking feeling I felt with every inch of my body. I couldn’t feel anything other than the tingling of each of my nerves, couldn’t see with the tears that were forming in my eyes.

Malfoy dropped to his knees beside me, wrangling me in tight to his chest. One hand held the back of my neck, the other wrapped around my shoulders as he pressed his lips to the crown of my head. I had no more energy in me to fight him, so I merely melted into the chest that I had grown to be so comfortable around. Looked forward to resting on, even.

“I’m so sorry, Olive,” Malfoy’s apology came through a strangled whisper, his voice cracking at the end. “I’m so sorry.” My nose had begun to run, so I wiped at it with the sleeves of my robes as I curled into his chest. His arms adapted to my wriggling body, but he still managed to hold me tighter than ever before.

And then I finally remembered where I was, what I was doing. And what had happened.

“No-” I managed to get out, starting to shove at his chest. Malfoy made a small sound of protest, his arms flailing about desperately as they tried to hold onto me like before. Like most of our fights were, it was an immature squabble. “No, get off. I- I don’t want to be around you.”

“Ol-” Malfoy started, but with one last, hard push, I managed to free myself from his grasp. He looked utterly defeated when I finally drug my gaze to him, and it took everything in me to swallow down the regret that was threatening to bubble up.

He had broken up with me, and had essentially blamed me for all his wrong-doings this year. And I wasn’t going to take it. Not if I could help it.

“Leave me alone, Malfoy,” I mumbled as I stood, averting my gaze so I could look over the bridge. I couldn’t look at him, I would unravel with a simple catch of his eyes. He had that power over me, and he knew it.

“Not like this,” Malfoy argued quietly, standing a few feet away. I could see his body in the corner of my eye, his arms dangling limply by his sides. His forefinger on his right hand was picking at his thumbnail, a tell he was anxious. “I don’t want-”

“I don’t care what you want,” I snapped back instantly, the words leaving my mouth before I could even think them through. Malfoy made another pained noise, a sharp inhale through his nose that came out incredibly shaky.

We were quiet for a few moments, neither of us knowing what to say. An occasional gust blew through, chilling every bone in my body and then some. Unconsciously, my hands came to tug my robes around my torso tighter, tucking my hands in close underneath my arms afterwards. Really, the one time I forgot my gloves.

And then he had to break the fleeting peacefulness by speaking, like he always did.

“I’m not going-”

“Leave. I mean it,” I interrupted before he even got to the end of his sentence. I knew what he was going to say, anyways.

“Let me finish!-” Malfoy groaned exasperatedly, and any hesitancy or caution in his tone was beginning to wash away. He was getting angry with me. Angry about not getting his way, really. Why he couldn’t just _leave_ was beyond me. It wasn’t worth the fight. Surely, he knew that.

I don’t really know what came over me, but within a second of his weak protest, I had my wand pointed at his chest. His eyes widened like they had earlier in the classroom, until they ultimately narrowed in defiance. It was the most insistent I had ever seen him. Malfoy usually knew when things weren’t going his way, and he knew when to alter the fight so he could still win it in the end. Always had to win. He was adamant about this one, though.

“Prove to me you know how to listen and _leave_ ,” I nearly growled at him, tightening my grip on my wand. My cheeks felt hot, but they were only cold from the consistent nipping of the bitter wind.

Malfoy, with his jaw set tight and his lips pressed together, took a few menacing steps towards me. I watched with a glimmer of confusion until I felt my wand being pushed back into a palm a millimeter. He had pressed his chest into the tip of my wand, practically taunting me.

“We both know you would never hurt me,” he snapped lowly, his voice grumbly. My wand lifted ever so slightly with his ragged breath, and my own became trapped in my throat as my wand sunk back down a moment later. The air between us was thick, stagnant as we could do barely more than glare at one another.

The two of us always said things we didn’t mean, especially in times that were too overwhelming to think straight in. That’s just how it was.

I’d like to say it was because we couldn’t think straight around one another, that we were too infatuated with the other to even begin to string together a coherent thought. But I knew those moments should be reserved for speaking sweet and emotional words straight from the heart, under the acknowledgement that we could freely open up without the fear of being mocked or torn up.

You know, _I’m so crazy about you that I can’t even begin to think of a good reason I would ever leave your side_. Or _I wish I knew the right thing to say when I see you, something to keep you talking to me for forever_. That cute shit that you read about, see in movies.

Not angry, malicious, ill-intentioned words that would leave an everlasting tear in the heart.

Malfoy was right. We couldn’t think straight around one another. And not in the good way.

_We both know you would never hurt me._

“Wish I could say the same.” 

I made sure to latch onto the tiny flicker of response Malfoy gave me, whether he knew he did or not. The fleeting moment of realization, the regret I’d like to hope was swallowing him whole. The reminder that he had, in fact, broke that promise he made me so many months ago. And the understanding that I had stupidly expected too much from him, expected what he simply couldn’t provide me.

Every ounce of energy I had left was used to keep my grip steady as I watched Malfoy’s face fall a millimeter, his lips release the tension they had on one another. I felt the opposing force on the end of my wand slowly decrease, until there was nothing left but tiny, negligible air particles bouncing against the tip. After he took a step backwards, Malfoy’s chest was long gone.

Swallowing thickly, I lowered my wand and looked out into the valley. If it was even possible, it seemed quieter than it had a few minutes ago. I didn’t glance over when I saw his back turn out of the corner of my eye, or even when he whipped around again and stalked back the few strides he had taken.

I did look, however, when I heard the sound of his coat pile into a messy bunch on the stone beside my feet. My eyes skimmed over the fur, each fiber moving with whatever way the wind wanted to take it. Even still, I hadn’t a clue what animal it came from.

And probably against my better judgement, I let my eyes trail up the bridge. I just barely caught Malfoy at the end, his back to me as he erratically huffed out of sight. The white of his button-up seemed to gleam under the moonlight. Or what was allowed to peek through, given the clouds.

Kneeling, I let my fingers run over the seam by the fastenings of the coat. They weren’t cheap, simple buttons. No, the Malfoys were too wealthy for that. Rather, glinting metal clasps ran up and down the inside of the outer flap. Even the interior pockets were still sewn shut, something my father had told me about when I was younger. I couldn’t recall the reasoning behind it, as I was much too young and disinterested to care to remember. I wish I did.

I maneuvered my legs so I was resting against a wooden pillar. The bridge offered somewhat of a shelter, but nothing compared to my bed in the dormitory. I had no energy to even think about walking back, though. In a swift movement, I pulled Malfoy’s coat over my body, tucking my chin into the collar. The fur tickled at my neck, but I ignored it.

I sat like that for a while, ignoring the frigid breezes and the way my soft cries filled with the air around me.

\---

“She _expelled_ you?” Jack nearly shouted in disbelief, his mouth hung wide open once he stopped talking. I merely nodded, my shoulders lifting in the smallest shrug. From what I had heard, someone had overheard Umbridge’s wailing and she was currently recovering in the hospital wing. Part of me hoped Pomfrey would ignore her.

It was already nearing midnight, and the group of us were gathered in the common room. I had spent a couple silent hours on the bridge, having seen absolutely no one. It did offer me the opportunity to regather my thoughts, to try and at least think rationally through the situation. If Umbridge really did only give me through tomorrow, I’d have to start packing as soon as possible. And probably owl Aunt Beth, so she could pick me up at King’s Cross.

“That’s complete bullshit!” Jack scoffed, looking over to Blaise and Katie. The two were equally as shocked, Katie’s eyebrows furrowed together in concern. Blaise looked more confused than anything, really. Pansy was gnawing on her bottom lip in thought, her legs crossed over one another as she sat hunched on the couch. Even Crabbe and Goyle were here as well, the two sitting by the fireplace.

“I du-” I started, but Jack cut me off by abruptly shooting off the couch. I watched helplessly, my eyes following him upwards.

“I’m leaving too, then. I don’t wanna be here without you,” he said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest. Malfoy was sitting on the armrest of the couch beside me, but he made sure to give me enough room. Which was odd, considering he wouldn’t leave me alone hours ago. At Jack’s proposal, Malfoy stiffened and he sat further upright.

I sighed, the noise shaky and unsure as I sucked my lips between my teeth. “You can’t do that, Jack. Where are you gonna go? You can’t go back to Durmstrang, you already got expelled there,” I reminded Jack, who shot me a spent look. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was also trying to get out of O.W.L.s. Didn’t really blame him.

“I’ll go wherever you go. Malfoy can’t seem to protect you, anyways. And with his-” Jack knew we would know who he was referring to. “-rise, you can’t be alone,” Jack finished off with a sneer at Malfoy, and my eyes widened. Malfoy had kept fairly quiet since we returned to the common room, letting me do all the explaining. But if I knew Malfoy at all, he was just barely keeping it together. I heard Katie gasp at the mention of You-Know-Who, and I just barely caught the flash of Blaise’s hand as he rested it on her knee comfortingly.

“Shut your fucking mouth, Simmons,” Malfoy nearly snarled, his eyes narrowing as he slowly stood up. Jack didn’t look intimidated in the slightest, his head instead cocking to the side in a taunting manner. Whether he knew it or not, Jack was latching onto Malfoy’s insecurity and throwing it to the dogs.

“Fairly sure you got her expelled, mate,” Jack snapped right back, his grip on his biceps tightening. Probably in an effort to keep him from launching onto Malfoy. “Left her alone on New Year’s, broke up with her today, what’s next? Handing her over to Voldemort on a silver platter? The Malfoys do like silver, don’t they?”

I felt my breath hitch in my throat at Jack’s last comment. I knew it was dramatic, and that, hopefully, Malfoy would never, but it still made me anxious. The air in the common room suddenly became stagnant, heavy and suffocating. Malfoy shot his meanest glare at Jack as he took another step towards him. Jack held still, his jaw clenching as he stared down Malfoy.

“We all know she deserves better than you, anyways,” Jack glowered down. Standing, he had a few inches on Malfoy, making him one of the tallest boys in Slytherin, even as a fifth-year. Tensions in the common room were growing, and I frantically looked from Malfoy to Jack. I wasn’t sure who was going to make the first move, but Malfoy was practically shaking with anger.

 _You make me do things that make me hate myself_.

Though I’m not really sure if Malfoy hated himself for his next move.

I think we all expected what was going to happen next, but I know we were all praying it wouldn’t. In a flash, Malfoy had tackled Jack, who seemed like he hadn’t been waiting for it. Jack folded like a chair, his side painfully catching on the corner of the coffee table. I gasped at his distressed grunt, and Katie shot out of Blaise’s hold.

“I said shut your fucking mouth!” Malfoy yelled, his argument extremely weak and childlike. It was like watching two first-years fumble for the attention of a girl, as the two boys were doing anything and everything to not succumb to the other. Flailing arms and punches thrown with no concluding hit, numerous grunts and groans slipping out. Neither of them were really stronger than the other, Malfoy’s quidditch regimen made sure of that. Jack dug his elbow into Malfoy’s forehead, his teeth ground together in concentration.

Pansy shrieked at the sharp cracking noise coming from Malfoy. Or his face, really. In a second flat, Jack’s elbow had slipped from his forehead to the bridge of his nose. Blood spurted from Malfoy’s nose instantaneously, immediately reddening both his and Jack’s shirts. Blaise stood at Katie’s urgent request to stop them, but he looked just as lost as I felt. The two were certainly going to fight this out, and I don’t think Blaise would cut it short.

Goyle had given a good attempt at breaking it up, but he was promptly shoved aside by Jack’s foot. Crabbe just stood helplessly, his eyebrows raised as he watched the scene unfold.

Neither of them seemed to care about the blood, as Malfoy only hastily wiped his nose with his sleeve and continued his assault on Jack. As the two started to hurl nasty insults at one another, I heard none other than Alexia’s voice from the doorway of the girl’s wing.

“Thought I heard something out here,” she smirked, leaning up against the frame with her arms crossed. I stood, my lips parted as I took in her smug appearance. This was all her fault, the bitch-

I hadn’t seen it, but Katie had noticed Alexia’s presence as well. She turned on her heel, despite Blaise’s quiet pleas.

“ _You_!” Katie nearly screamed as her gaze settled on Alexia. And for once, Alexia actually looked unsettled. Her eyes widened as Katie snatched her wand out of her pockets. Terrified, Alexia scrambled further into the girl’s wing, but she was really no match for Katie, especially when she was in a rage like this. I would know, the girl had gotten extremely pissed last year when she believed Snape had graded her incorrectly.

Simply put, she was frightening when she was heated.

For a brief moment, Blaise looked like he was considering reeling Katie in. That is, until he remembered exactly what Alexia had done, and he turned a blind eye as he refocused his attention on Jack and Malfoy.

“ _Get back here, you cheap whore_!” Katie bellowed as she clambered over the back of the couch, chasing Alexia far into the hallway. It was like both Blaise and I had been frozen, only able to dumbly watch Katie sprint after Alexia. It wasn’t until I heard a faint _stupefy_ that I realized Katie had indeed stunned Alexia, and, given the quietness of their voices, that the two had run to the far end of the dormitories.

At another one of Pansy’s shrieks, I whipped my head back to Jack and Malfoy. Somehow, Malfoy was back on top of Jack again, driving his fists into anywhere he could get them. Jack’s cheeks, his neck, his chin. The rug was mussed, the couch and table skewed at odd angles from thrashing feet. It was like time had gone still, my blinking and Pansy’s screams feeling like they were in slow motion.

It was pure chaos in the Slytherin common room, and it wasn’t because of a quidditch win. Hell, we were the only ones inside.

As his left arm drew back into a sharp hook, Malfoy’s right hand reached for his wand, which was sticking out of his waistband. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure how it hadn’t splintered yet. My eyes caught the movement, and my mind made the quick realization that Jack’s wand was out of reach, still on the couch cushions. Whatever Malfoy was planning, I knew it wouldn’t be good.

Malfoy decided on the last spell I had anticipated.

“ _Sectum_ -” Malfoy started before his left fist even made contact, his wand pointed directly at Jack’s neck.

“ _Expelliarmus_!” I desperately screamed, throwing the spell as hard as I could towards Malfoy. All I knew in that moment was that I needed to intercept the spell, for Jack’s sake. I couldn’t believe Malfoy was so stupid as to use a curse that Snape, of all people, had warned us against. 

Malfoy’s wand was yanked from his grasp by an invisible hand, and then thrown across the common room until the skittering reached a stall. The second I had yelled the spell, the room fell into a silence. Even Jack and Malfoy had ceased their immature squabbling.

Completely physically exhausted, my eyes went blurry and my grip on my wand faltered. I knew, reasonably, that it hit the ground, but my vision had already gone black as I was just barely scooped up by a pair of arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When i wrote the last part of this/edited it, it was the first time I had gotten into bed before 1 a.m. in nearly a month. And the weather had taken a break from snowing so i had my blinds open and it was just so peaceful and serene and it was just really nice to get away from all the academics and just write for a few hours. I really hope you all are finding small moments like this too, especially in a time like this.


	73. chapter sixty-eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise bitches! I bet you thought you’d seen the last of me (at least for the next two weeks lmfao, I told myself I wouldn’t do that to you guys again, but pls do enjoy this update, I really loved writing it)

Everything was kind of a blur after I passed out. I hadn’t even realized I did, until I came to in Blaise’s arms. Of all people, it was him who had caught me, and then lowered me gently to the ground. And then, from what I was told, lifted me onto the couch. I guess you never really do recall fainting.

At my collapse, Jack and Malfoy had finally untangled from one another. Malfoy’s nose was caked in dried blood, the crimson flakes contrasting the pale skin of his lips and chin. The color had seeped into his white shirt, and there was even a streak through his blonde hair when he had pushed a strand out of his eyes.

Jack wasn’t much better, several cuts scattered over his face. One was bleeding particularly hard, above his eyebrow. Probably due to one of Malfoy’s rings. It was clearly the last thing on his mind, however, as his eyebrows were drawn together in concern. Hands dotted with busted knuckles rested on his hips as he stood beside Blaise’s knees, looking down at me.

“Hey,” Blaise murmured once I stirred on the couch. He had my head on his thigh, hunched over as he assessed my reaction. I felt fine, just a bit out of it. Blinking, I shifted my gaze to above me, and over the back of the couch. Katie held the same face of worry that both Jack and Blaise did, gnawing nervously on her bottom lip as one hand came to rest on Blaise’s shoulder.

I couldn’t see her, but I heard Pansy mumbling about with who I assumed to be Crabbe and Goyle. I think they were all there, from what I remembered. Everything was still hazy.

Malfoy was out of my sight as well, sitting down by the fireplace. Elbows on his knees, he hid his face from the rest of us while he tried to regather himself. His leg wouldn’t stop bouncing as his shoulders racked with shaky breaths.

“Let’s get you back,” Katie whispered, offering me a small smile before she rounded the end of the couch. I mustered a measly nod, and I could barely register Blaise assisting me in sitting up slowly. Nothing sounded better than crawling under my sheets and sleeping all of this off.

At my movement, Malfoy’s head shot up. His lips parted in desperation, his eyes frantically sweeping over my body and he stood. I could feel his intent gaze on me like he was branding me with a red hot rod, but I couldn’t bring myself to look over. It was like he was at an internal war with himself, debating on whether or not to say something.

“Olive-”

“Malfoy, if you don’t get the fuck out out right now, so help me _God_ I’ll let you have it worse,” Jack growled before Malfoy could get another word out. His tone was filled with pure venom, his eyes narrowed into slits as his fists clenched once more. However, his voice was even and collected, which made his threat all that much more intimidating. And surprisingly, Malfoy bit his tongue as he did nothing more than to watch me helplessly. I knew that if I looked at him, if I caught his gaze with mine, I would be wrapped up in him once more.

“‘M fine,” I mumbled in protest, though my nose scrunched up in response to the throbbing behind my forehead. Katie frowned at the reaction, and I felt her arm slip around my shoulders. Blaise got me standing upright, now it was up to her and Pansy to walk me back to the dormitory.

“Get some rest, Olive. I’ll walk you to breakfast tomorrow morning,” Jack promised, dipping his head down so he could see my face. I swallowed thickly, giving him a small smile in recognition. He sighed sadly, a fleeting look of worry crossing his features. Standing with Blaise, the two watched as Pansy rushed across the room.

With Pansy and Katie on either side of me, the three of us hobbled toward the girl’s wing. And left the boys behind without so much as a second glance. I could hear Malfoy and Jack begin to argue again, though their voices became fainter as we walked further down the corridor. Blaise jumped in as well, probably trying to break the two up.

A few moments later, a weak giggle escaped my chest at the sight of Alexia’s crumpled body, which was half-leaning against the wall of the hallway. Katie must’ve noticed my amusement, as she mumbled something along the lines of _“bitch deserved it.”_

I don’t remember much of the rest of the night, other than that the girls and I slept all together in my bed. And that Nox was especially cuddly, refusing to be more than an arm’s length away.

\---

Aunt Beth was practically fuming with anger the moment she stepped into Dumbledore’s former office. Umbridge still hadn’t made the move in, since she claimed recovering from the hex was requiring all her effort. Snape, however, was waiting for the two of us. Head of house duties, I suppose.

“Where is she?” Aunt Beth seethed, her eyes sweeping the office. I’m certain she was looking for Umbridge, but she was still under Pomfrey’s care. Even if she wasn’t, I’m sure Aunt Beth would put her right back under when she was done with Umbridge.

“Beth,” Snape nodded his head in acknowledgement, but Aunt Beth offered little more than a scowl. My trunk sat packed in the corner, Athena’s empty cage on top. I had sent her out this morning with the instruction to stay home once she arrived.

“I cannot believe you’re letting this happen,” Aunt Beth snapped at him, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. “Honestly, one of your students? Complete bull-”

“Aunt Beth,” I butted in, cutting her off. Didn’t really need her swearing in front of Snape. His face held absolutely no emotion, no reaction to her protest. Instead, his eyes flicked down to the sheet of parchment on the massive desk. Umbridge had written out a list of tasks I had to finish in order to confirm and seal my expulsion. To finally revoke my enrollment at Hogwarts, really.

_Return wand to Mr. Ollivander as soon as possible._

_Return any schoolbooks to Flourish and Blotts, or (preferably) donate to Madam Pince._

_Return house robes to Professor Snape before your departure._

There were a few more, but I was too far away to finish reading. Snape’s eyes swept over the list a couple times, but he simply cleared his throat and rolled the sheet into a tight scroll.

“These won’t be necessary,” he held up the scroll briefly, before it was promptly thrown into the nearest bin. A spell quickly followed, and the parchment became engulfed in a controlled flame. Snape flicked his wand once more, and the door swung shut behind Aunt Beth.

“When Dumbledore is reinstated as rightful headmaster, I can assure your re-enrollment, should you request it, will be strongly considered,” Snape’s voice dropped, his attention turning from me to Aunt Beth. My eyebrows furrowed at his promise, especially at the use of _“when.”_ Umbridge couldn’t last forever. At least that was reassuring.

I gave Snape a simple nod, and a flash of something crossed his face. I couldn’t pick up on exactly what, though.

“Very well. Best for you two to leave before Dolores finds herself well-enough to return,” Snape ushered Aunt Beth and I toward the door, and I quickly scampered over to my trunk. Aunt Beth held steady, though, glaring at him.

I waited by the door, one hand grasping the handle of my trunk firmly and the other Athena’s cage. When Aunt Beth didn’t make a move to join me, I arched an eyebrow. I cleared my throat, and she finally turned.

“Go on, I’ll be right there,” she assured me, waving her hand out the door. Confused, but too exhausted to fight it, I nodded and turned on my heel. The second I had cleared the frame, the door swung shut once more. Snape and Aunt Beth’s voices were hushed, so I couldn’t exactly make out what they were saying.

I ran through numerous spells in my head, trying to remember the one that would allow me to hear. Hell, I had never needed one of the twin’s products more. Before I could recall the incantation, the door was pushed open, revealing a stone-faced Aunt Beth. At my confused expression, she shook her head, silently telling me to not ask any questions.

“C’mon, let’s go before she comes,” she muttered under her breath, taking Athena’s cage from me. Again, I merely nodded in agreement, and the two of us began down the corridor. The wheels on my trunk turned at a steady pace, hitting the crevices of the stone blocks every so often. I tried to match the beating of my heart to the rhythm, but everything was too overwhelming.

I hadn’t seen Malfoy since last night. He wasn’t at breakfast, where I had barely eaten, anyways. Jack hadn’t left my side all day, even going so far as to skip his classes so we could talk the hours away in the common room. Katie and Blaise had stayed with us in the morning, but decided to attend arithmancy after lunch, since Katie was doing so poorly.

Nothing really felt real, if I could put it simply. Like, I didn’t feel like this could be my last time seeing these walls, or avoiding Filch and Mrs. Norris. I never thought I would actually miss History of Magic, which I was currently supposed to be in, either.

And I had kept trying to ignore it, but it still didn’t seem true that Malfoy and I weren’t dating anymore. What had happened, happened, and that was it. Malfoy wanted it, and I wanted it.

And it really, really sucked.

I tried to keep up with Aunt Beth as we neared the entrance to Hogwarts. We were supposed to leave out of Hogsmeade, and then take the Express back to King’s Cross. She and I hadn’t even talked about what was to come next. Like, if I was going to attend a Muggle school again, or if we were to try homeschooling.

Everything was an unknown, and I hated it.

I had told the others my goodbyes before I met Aunt Beth in Dumbledore’s office. And through all the hugging and crying and well-wishing, he never showed. Not that I had invited him, but a part of me hoped Malfoy would just know. He always did before. Silly of me to believe that, I suppose.

\---

The first week at home was painfully numbing. I didn’t do much more than watch movies and sleep in, or bake when I got too bored. I tried to keep my mind off Hogwarts and my friends, but I eventually found myself reading through textbooks late at night, like I was studying for a quiz that didn’t actually exist.

It really hurt when I came across the small notes he would always write me in the margins of my books during class. 

_Your hair looks pretty today._

_Dinner after quidditch practice?_

_Dumbass Simmons forgot to tuck in his shirt, looks like a duck._

_You have any chocolate on you?_

It felt like months ago, when I would have to stifle a giggle as he wrote sideways with one eye on the professor. Or when he would scrunch up his nose in disgust when he accidentally misspelled a word or his penmanship was slanted upwards since he wasn’t paying full attention.

Aunt Beth was careful around me, and as much as I disliked it, I didn’t have the heart to tell her to stop. The minute we returned from King’s Cross, I had told her everything. What really happened on New Year’s, why Malfoy had stayed the night. What the first day back was like, why I had gotten in trouble in the first place. The fight between Jack and Malfoy. That Malfoy had broken up with me.

It was emotional, to say the least. She simply held me tight as I cried it all out, sobbing into her shoulder as she stroked my back comfortingly.

And I had never wanted my parents more. My mother’s advice, my father’s stupid rants about boys. So I spent a lot of time at their graves, making sure to bundle up in the frigid January weather. I must’ve looked insane, talking to two blocks of stone for hours on end.

I just wished they were still here.

Leo came over from time to time, offering to make Aunt Beth and I dinner when we were just too tired to do it. He was quite the good cook, filling the kitchen with music and laughter as he flung the towel over his shoulder and balanced seven jars of spices in one hand.

She really thrived around him, and I think her spunky, single days were slowly coming to an end. At least one of us was happy.

A couple mornings after I left Hogwarts, Jack’s owl had rapped at my window.

_6 January 1996_

_Dear Olive,_

_I hope you’re doing well. We all miss you so much, it just isn’t the same without you._

_Flitwick assigned a bitch of an essay, Blaise is currently complaining about it as I’m writing this. At least you don’t have to do that. Bright side of things, right?_

_Anyways, not much has happened since you’ve left. Well, except for the fact that Katie rips Alexia apart any time she can. She’s absolutely mad, lemme tell you. Pansy even joined in yesterday evening after dinner, which was pretty entertaining._

_I cannot believe I actually asked that nimwit to Hogsmeade last term. Why didn’t you smack some sense into me?_

_I miss you loads. We all do. The others send their best, Katie said she’s planning on sending some chocolate frogs from our next Hogsmeade trip. Umbridge prohibited them, but we’re planning to sneak out this weekend. Maybe I’ll get you some Bertie Bott’s beans, but pick out the olive-flavoured ones only. Ha - wouldn’t that be funny._

_Tell Aunt Beth I say hi, and stay safe for me. I mean it, Olive. Write me whenever you need anything._

_Jack_

I had reread the letter a few times, scratching Ace’s head as I did so. He was quite friendly, a direct reflection of Jack’s personality. At the mention of the olive-flavoured jelly beans, my stomach did an involuntary flip. Rationally, I knew that there was no way that Jack would’ve known that’s what Malfoy had done for me, but it was still a reminder of him. A few minutes later, I had shuffled through my school things and found a sheet of blank parchment.

Penning a letter back was easy. Talking to Jack was natural, it always had been. Maybe we really were siblings in another universe. Jack always liked to joke about that. Before I knew it, I had written what I considered to be a novel. The sheet was filled top to bottom, front and back, explaining to Jack everything that I had been doing to keep myself busy.

I watched as Ace flew out, keeping an eye on him until he disappeared into the grey sky. January weather sucked. If I was going to be expelled, I’d rather it was during the spring. Or autumn, really.

I received a letter from Hermione the next day.

_Dear Olive,_

_I heard about your expulsion from your friend, Jack. He caught me after Arithmancy earlier today. I’m so terribly sorry, you don’t deserve that at all._

_I’m not sure if you would still like to be, but I’d be more than willing to keep you up to date on Dark Arts._

Hermione had drawn a winky face, and my lips twitched upwards in the first smile I had felt in days. I missed the D.A., too. Particularly joking around with Ginny and the twins when Potter wasn’t looking.

_If you still have your textbooks, maybe I can send along spells we’re learning. Hopefully you can find the time to practice on your own. Just because you’re home doesn’t mean you have to forget about magic altogether._

She didn’t explicitly say it, but I knew Hermione was referring to You-Know-Who. She was right, though, like she always was. The D.A. was the only place I was learning actual defensive magic. And with Snape, too, I suppose. But he never really had taught us much more than anti-hexes and the reductor curse. And _sectumsempra_ , of course, which I still had yet to see in actual use.

_Owl back if you’re interested. Sending lots of well wishes. It’ll be okay._

_Hermione_

I had written Hermione back immediately, letting her know I was more than interested in keeping up with the D.A.. Especially after the Death Eater meeting I was dragged into over break, I knew Mr. Malfoy and the rest were already aware of the prophecy. I just wanted to be as much help as I could be.

A letter from Ginny came two days later, an erratic Errol making a crash landing in the back garden’s fountain while I was eating breakfast. I managed to save the parchment before it got completely soaked.

_Dear Olive,_

_Hermione passed on the news of your expulsion._

I smiled sadly at the unhappy face Ginny drew right after.

_I can’t believe that toad actually expelled you, that’s ridiculous. Obviously I don’t talk to him, but I’ve overheard Malfoy bitching about it to Crabbe and Goyle. It seems as though it’s the three of them again, like in the first couple years of school. You must’ve been the glue that held those Slytherins together._

_Anyways, I’ve also owled mum about it, so I’m certain you can expect a package of some sort within the next few days. If she could send a Howler to Umbridge, I bet she would. The twins miss you almost as much as I do, meetings aren’t the same without you. Harry’s a bit sad as well, though I don’t think he would ever admit it._

_Fred said that he’ll send a letter too, as well as a prototype of one of their new concoctions. If it’s edible, I’d recommend not eating it._

I chuckled at the four thick lines that Ginny had scratched underneath not.

_Ron tried one of their new chews over break, and then wouldn’t stop blowing gum for like three days. Mum got real upset about it, but I suppose it was pretty funny._

_I’ve got to go study for a potions exam. I know you’re a year older, but do you remember anything about Weedosoros??? Everything about it is confusing, I swear to Merlin. Doubt I’ll use it in the real world._

_Ginny_

I sent a letter back to Ginny using my parents’ owl, writing what I briefly remembered about the potion and responding to the story about Ron and the twins’ products. I tried not to think too hard about what she had said about Malfoy.

By the time the second week home started, I was beginning to grow restless. Truly, I had never thought I’d miss school so much. The homework sessions, eating meals with my friends, the gossiping that I did with Katie and Pansy late into the night.

Seeing _him_ with that focused face, the way his lip was always pulled between his teeth as he read the paragraph over and over until he understood it. Or leaning over in the library, completely enveloped in the smell of his cologne as I pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek. Which, as always, turned into more until Madam Pince scolded us, or one of our friends started to fake vomiting. Or when he finally got that quill-twirling trick, and wouldn’t stop doing it and showing off to everyone.

I missed it all.

Aunt Beth had gotten her boss to approve a visitor, me, for a few days. Part of me also believed that Aunt Beth didn’t want to keep leaving me alone at home. So, on Monday morning, she hauled me along on her journey to the Ministry. It was nice, having a change of scenery for a few hours. The walls of my bedroom were beginning to feel like a prison, keeping me captive in my own head.

I stayed silent for most of the train ride, opting to stare out the window at the passing of the bleak underground tunnel. It was just concrete, but I didn’t mind. I followed behind Aunt Beth the entire way to the Ministry.

“Oh, how nice to see you, Beth! Been a while since - is that Olive?”

I glanced up at the familiar voice, immediately met with Mr. Weasley’s confused, yet warm, expression. Cocking his head, he looked from me to my aunt, and then back to me.

“Hello, Mr. Weasley,” I greeted politely, plastering a smile onto my face. I wasn’t sure if he knew about my expulsion yet, if Ginny’s letter had reached the burrow. Given his reaction, though, I assumed he didn’t.

“Wanted to give her a tour of the Ministry, Arthur,” Aunt Beth laughed, her shoulders shaking in amusement. I let her tug me into her side, feeling her hand squeeze comfortingly at my shoulder. “Always good to get the kids excited about the real world, isn’t it?”

“I reckon so,” he chuckled along, giving me a fatherly, squinted-eyes smile. “Well, I have to be off to a morning meeting, I’m always late to those, y’know. Molly always keeps me back until I eat my entire breakfast, the saint-”

Aunt Beth cut him off gently, clearly wanting to end his rambling. “Do tell her we say hello, won’t you?” 

Arthur gave a reassuring nod before he raised his hand in a farewell and disappeared into the bustling crowd.

“Arthur’s a sweet man, but good Lord, can he talk,” Aunt Beth chuckled after he was out of earshot. I glanced back at her when she dropped her hand from my shoulder. “Well, let’s get on up to the sixth floor, shall we?”

I bobbed my head in agreement, swallowing thickly as I followed her to the elevators. Aunt Beth could Apparate, but she didn’t feel particularly comfortable performing a Side-Along with me in tow. I stood squished between Aunt Beth and a pudgy old man as we waited for the doors to close.

Had I not looked up, I never would’ve made eye contact with none other than Mr. Malfoy himself. Who, interestingly enough, had an extremely muddled expression on his face, his eyebrows furrowed together in thought. I didn’t get the chance to even blink before the elevator doors closed shut.

**

FEBRUARY 1996

**

Cold and wet and sucky. That’s all February is. Especially when you’re single.

Jack and Katie had sent valentines with Ace, the Weasley name still branded on the front. I guess they had started to consider concocting love potions.

_14 February 1996_

_Olive!_

_Happy Valentine’s Day!! I hope you’ll enjoy your Walentine, I know you’re such a fan of the twins. Pansy says Happy Valentine’s Day as well, she’s here with me in the dormitory as I write this letter. I’ve also attached some chocolate hearts, I hope they don’t fall off Cleo’s leg. My brother, the dumbass that he is, has been using her a lot to owl home, I think she’s getting fed up with all the flying. Don’t really blame her, it’s been quite nasty recently._

_Also, and I hope you’ll be pleased to hear, I think Alexia’s learned her place. She hasn’t even looked in the direction of any of us in a few weeks. Pansy came up with a modified spell that dyed her hair temporarily red (like Gryffindor’s red). Well, at least, we “thought” it was temporary. It’s permanent, unless she cuts all her hair off. So it’s been red for like six days, and I’ve overheard Alexia crying about it in the showers. Too bad._

_I miss you so, so, so much. Pansy, too. It’s not as fun falling asleep or getting ready for quidditch matches without you here._

_I hope you’re doing well._

_Love,_

_Katie_

And then the letter from Jack.

_14 February 1996_

_Dear Olive,_

_Happy Valentine’s Day! Wish you were here, you could’ve been mine._

I rolled my eyes at the winky face Jack had drawn, along with hearts all around.

_Miss you loads, as always. I hope you’ll be happy to hear that Slytherin’s in the lead for the House Cup! Malfoy’s been skipping tons of practices, so Hooch finally renamed me as captain. He didn’t complain at all about it, I reckon he’s a mess inside. Good. Nobody can do something like that to you and feel good about it._

_Snape also stopped those meetings we had during autumn term. I did find this old journal of his in his cabinet a few days ago. Technically, I was looking for ingredients for a potion we’re supposed to brew on our own time. He’s got loads of good stuff in that thing. I’ll probably learn more from that than him, or Umbridge._

_The Slytherin Quidditch Team Captain,_

_Jack Simmons_

Fred and George had sent a valentine as well, with a small note written inside along the joke. 

_Free of charge this year, you lucky gal._

**

MARCH 1996

**

_8 March 1996_

_A little less cold, but still wet and sucky. Spring flowers started to pop up in places, but then a particularly nasty rainstorm came and washed them all out. Typical._

_I’ve started to pick up running since Aunt Beth has given me her old Walkman. She only has Take That cassettes, though, so running isn’t the most fun. If Holding Back the Tears comes on one more time during one of my sprints, I swear to God I’m giving up everything altogether._

_Hermione has me practicing_ Levicorpus, _which is pretty odd to do on inanimate objects. I’d ask Aunt Beth to let me use her as a practice dummy, but I wasn’t sure if that would violate Hermione’s contract. Don’t really want hives all over my face, even if I have nowhere to go. Honestly, she would be a pretty good professor. She asked me to write an essay about the spell, and I had to ask if she was serious. She was._

_Aunt Beth put me back in a Muggle school, the one I would’ve gone to if I never knew Hogwarts existed. Part of me wishes that was true, now. Then I wouldn’t be hurting so bad, all the time. I really miss it._

_Everything feels muffled. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but it just does. Same breakfast, same classes every day, same time I get home. It’s all the same. It’s like everything is muted and stagnant, and I’m caught in this repetitive cycle._

_I suppose I receive letters from Jack and Katie and the others if they find time, but there’s never one from him._

\---

_17 March 1996_

_Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. I think it’s a major holiday._

**

APRIL 1996

**

_12 April 1996_

_Leo and Aunt Beth are officially a thing. Kinda cute, I guess. He’s perfecting his pancake recipe, so we’ve been eating loads. I keep saying it could use more chocolate chips, but Aunt Beth keeps whining about ‘a teen’s metabolism is different than an adult’s’ and that I’ll ‘put them in an early grave.’ I used the dead parents card and that shut her up real quick._

_Jack and I write back and forth nearly every couple days. He’s kept Slytherin on a winning streak, he says they’re certainly heading for the House Cup victory. Katie writes regularly too, as well as Hermione. Even Pansy sent a letter a few days ago. I guess Alexia’s hair is still red, though she’s been trying to hide it with beanies._

_I beat my best kilometer time. Finally started listening to East 17 instead of Take That, so maybe that’s part of it. Best part is that Mum would never let me listen to them before._

_I’ve given up on hoping I’ll get a letter from Klaus. I still wear the necklace, though._

I glanced up from the journal, looking out into the park. It was a fairly quiet one, one that didn’t have a playground for children and was full of walking trails instead. The wildflowers had started to pop up, breaking up the dull green of the grass. A few birds bounced around a couple meters away, cocking their heads towards the ground as they listened for worms.

It was a fairly nice day, white clouds puffing through the sky. After school let out, I had headed straight here before dinner. Muggle school was the worst. Leo was supposed to come over tonight and make a few dishes he claimed he had perfected. Aunt Beth really enjoyed his cooking, and it was nice coming home to a warm meal.

As I laid back, I let my gaze wander over the clouds. And as much as I tried not to, I wondered what he was doing.

**MALFOY’S POINT-OF-VIEW**

_I miss her. I miss everything about her._

_The way she writes in the margins of her textbooks, the way she blinks a bit too hard when her eyes go dry. Or the way she would moan and gripe on her way to Dark Arts and refuse to enter once we approached. How she would sneak glances at me in the Great Hall, or knock her knee against mine under the desk during class. The way she twirls the quill around her fingers as she thinks, yet it always ends up dropping to the ground since she’s not very good at it. I tried to teach her, but she never picked it up._

I looked up from my journal when I heard the water’s surface break. It was probably just a fish, but it was still loud enough to capture my attention. I suppose no one really knew what lived in the depths of the Black Lake. Katie always mentioned a Giant Squid, which had always made Olive uneasy. The smile that had unconsciously formed on my face at the thought of her melted away in a second.

Glancing over to my right, I let my eyes sweep over the empty ground. Olive never really liked to be this close to the shore, but I managed to wrangle her to this exact spot a few times. Bribed her with kisses, of course. 

April was in full swing, Scotland finally pulling out of those gloomy rainshowers. Wildflowers were popping up along the shore and up the hillside, dotting the green grass with an array of colors.

Olive would like it, I know she would.

But she wasn’t here. I was alone, and she was back home. Safe.

I thought I had done the right thing back in January. I knew she had trained Athena to refuse pink parchment, that she wouldn’t have gotten the letter Umbridge sent about the new decree. And I hadn’t gotten the chance to tell Olive about it, and she had to learn from Umbridge herself. I had fucked it, just like I always did.

I don’t think I’d ever forget how frantic she was to get out of my arms on the bridge. Her frenzied pushing and shoving, her breath hitching in her throat at the very sight of me. She didn’t want me anymore, I had made certain of that. That feeling - her rejection of my attempt to make things right - had crushed me.

And I don’t think I’d ever forget what she had said. _Wish I could say the same._ The realization the few words had caused was overwhelming, like I had been suffocated with liquid concrete. I had hurt her, the one thing in my life that I swore I’d protect more than myself. The one weakness I didn’t hate. The one person that made me feel out of control and vulnerable at times, but didn’t make me fear the feeling. Because I figured she would always be there, to patch me up when things got too messy, or to plant a big ol’ kiss of reassurance right on the crown of my head.

She wasn’t there anymore, though. I had hurt her, and badly.

I thought I was taking a step in the right direction with her, even as fucked up as it may seem. Yes, I broke her heart, but I wasn’t expecting Umbridge to expel her. I’d rather Olive hate my guts but still be able to see her at Hogwarts, than to have her gone. Technically, it wasn’t even because we had been in a relationship. It was because the hag hated my poor Olive, and that I had gotten her into that mess. And I hated myself for it.

Because I couldn’t see Olive’s smile every day, or hear her rushed greetings when she ran into class late. Or excitedly await her goodnight kisses in the common room every evening. Or feel the way my heart swelled with warmth whenever she merely looked at me. It really heated up when she grinned too.

_Sometimes I wonder if she still wears that ring I gave her. I wear mine._

_I wouldn’t be upset, I guess, if she didn’t. Why would she, really._

My gaze shifted to my dominant hand, letting my quill fall back against the spine of the journal. The brown feather was shiny under the sunlight, glinting as if it was made of bronze. Carefully, like I was scared I was going to snap it, I slid off Olive’s ring. Twisting it, I read the words.

_Yours always, and with the biggest and best regards ever, O. Wilkinson_

Always mine. 

I slipped the ring back on, leaning my head back to rest against the bark of the tree. The ground wasn’t particularly hard this time of year, but Simmons always joked I had the bum of a skinwalker. Bony, that is. And he was right. My ass was sore as hell.

Honestly, he catches me _once_ right out the showers after a match and he decides to tease me on it every chance he gets. Annoying, that bastard. Especially now. Whenever he did look at me, it was filled with absolute hatred. But I knew he was writing Olive frequently, keeping her up to date on Hogwarts. And I never thought I’d ever say this, but at least she had him.

I couldn’t bring myself to write her a letter. I knew I couldn’t begin to explain why I had done the things I had, and I knew she wouldn’t accept them anyways. And I was terrified of phrasing it incorrectly, giving her a wrongful impression of what I had tried to do. Even still, I couldn’t seem to say the right thing to her.

I closed my journal, trapping my quill between the pages before I set it down on a nearby rock. I picked up hers, the one she had given me for Christmas. It was weirdly smooth, a perfect skipping rock. Like I would ever skip it, though.

Tossing it up and down in the air, I stood and stretched out my legs. The shore of the Black Lake was a few strides away, and I squinted as I approached. April meant later sunsets, so the sun was glinting off the lake’s surface.

With Olive expelled, my father needed someone else to infiltrate Potter’s supposed group. I never really suspected one in the first place, but I wouldn’t put it past him to create something as stupid as that. Especially under Umbridge’s reign as headmistress. I swear, I don’t think that bastard ever thought straight. Granger had to think for him. Weasley, too. Poor girl.

Oh, how furious my father was when he learned of Olive’s expulsion. Blamed me for it, of course. Though I suppose I already should’ve expected that. I guess he had seen her at the Ministry with her aunt one day back in January, and demanded to know the reason she wasn’t at Hogwarts on a school day. I told him why. Things couldn’t get any worse.

Everything was my fault, I knew that. I knew it before both my father and Simmons had beat it into my head over the past couple months.

I stopped walking when the soles of my shoes hit the lapping edge of the water. The beaches were practically just an array of stones and rocks, making my ankles twist this way and that way as I approached.

Father requested me to choose someone, like I was friends with any outside Slytherin. He claimed that I knew the students better than Avery’s son, which I suppose was a correct assumption. Avery was a brainless troll, which was shocking for Ravenclaw. Couldn’t ever put his robes on right. Total dimwit. Not surprising his father was a Death Eater. Clearly, intelligence didn’t run strong in their genes.

I knew how important this was for my father. If he managed to retrieve the prophecy before Potter did, the Malfoy name would be held in high regards once more. Potter would be dead, and everything would be as it should’ve been. I had been raised to understand the importance of upholding my last name, to keep it in a positive light. Yet I never thought such a critical task would be given to me now. If I managed to fuck this task up as well, I don’t think my father would ever forgive me.

Olive had been right, things were getting bad.

I hadn’t chosen anyone yet. Father didn’t know, and I had been ignoring his owls for at least a month. We were nearing the end of the school year, so I wrote it off as studying for O.W.L.s. Mum wanted me to pass, anyways. Something about my future after graduation. But once everyone got on the Express in June, no one would know what Potter and his gang were up to. So I was put on a time constraint, and one that I don’t think I could meet.

My thumb brushed over the smoothness of the stone as I thought.

If only Olive was here, she would know what to do. She’s friendlier than I am, more open to those in other houses. Hell, she was friends with the Weasley girl. She, and I was quite certain about this, knew what Potter was doing.

Unconsciously, I gripped the rock a bit tighter. My knuckles went white with the intensity.

I felt my anger start to grow as I thought about my father again. I could never meet his expectations, could never make him proud. And I couldn’t think straight when Olive was floating around my mind, clouding it with the memories of her laughter and remembering the way she smiled against my kisses. I knew it wasn’t her fault, but I couldn’t figure out how to complete my father’s request on choosing a mole when she was always on my mind.

My eyes were hollowed, my brain fogged over, and my heart beat just a bit too erratically. I doubted I had gotten more than five hours of sleep over the past week. Eating was scarce too, nothing smelled appetizing enough to even put in the effort.

If I could please my father, I could get her back. I just needed to find a mole, a good one, and then get them into Potter’s bloody group, and then get the location of the prophecy, and then - _fuck, I missed her so much_ \- and then I could get her back. I could hold her again.

I just had to - _fuck_ \- if I could just - I just had to get her out of my head- 

_Plunk._

My sporadic train of thought was broken when I heard the telltale sound of a rock breaking the water’s surface. I looked down, and my hand was empty.

“No-” I breathed out, looking back up towards the lake. My heart sank when I saw the ripples against the water, slowly filtering out until it was still again. Within an instant, my breathing became labored and panic-stricken, coming out in short, shallow puffs.

“No!” It was a strangled shout, and I waded into the water without thinking. In a second flat, my trousers became soaked, the material clinging to my legs. Frantically, I dug downwards, picking up various rocks and stones, always checking if it was hers. But it never was.

“C’mon, c’mon. Please, fuck,” I mumbled as I spun around. My turning and twisting was creating more and more ripples, making it harder to see to the bottom. I was beginning to grow frustrated, both with myself and the bloody lake.

If it wasn’t hers, I hurled it meters away in a rage. I must’ve thrown what felt like hundreds of rocks.

I spent hours looking for her rock. It was like it had Disapparated, or gotten pulled into another dimension.

Exhausted and angry, I collapsed against the tree when the moon reached her highest peak in the night sky. My fingertips resembled the texture of prunes, the sleeves of my shirt were still dripping. I reckon I was supposed to feel chilled to the bone given the gentle breeze, or feel _something_ at the very least, but I felt absolutely nothing.

Furious, I dug my heel into the dirt. It slipped instantly, causing the entire backside of my leg to become caked in dirt. It was like that was the tipping point for me, the action that pushed me over the edge that I had been teetering on for weeks. I knew it was stupid, that I was this worked up over a rock. But it was hers, and I had just thrown it without a care in the world.

Even though there was no one around, I still brought my hand to bite down on the knuckle of my forefinger. It wasn’t enough to suppress them anyways, though. Frustrated, shaky sobs filled the air a moment later.

There was one more thing I missed greatly about her.

It was exceptionally difficult to fall asleep without the feeling of her lingering good-night kiss on my cheek.

And it was all my fault.

\---

Jack was sitting by himself at the Slytherin table for breakfast. Katie and Blaise hadn’t shown quite yet, and he had absolutely no desire to sit with Malfoy. Who, and it was delightful to Jack, looked like absolute hell. Like Fang, Hagrid’s old thing, had dragged Malfoy upside down and backwards through hell’s deepest circle. With the other owls in the morning mail, Ace swooped down and landed beside Jack’s mug of tea.

“Got a letter from Olive for me?” Jack chuckled as he set his spoon back down in his oatmeal. At first glance, it really did look like Ace. It didn’t take long for Jack to realize it was his father’s owl. He had gotten a particularly good deal on a group of Great Horned siblings a few Christmases ago, which meant all of the Simmons’ got new owls that year. This owl wasn’t Ace, and it wasn’t carrying a letter from Olive.

Jack’s heart stopped when he read the letter the first time through.

_Jack -_

_Come home as soon as possible. He requests your presence at the next meeting._

Jack’s eyes swept over the parchment a few times, though he immediately recognized the handwriting as his father’s. He never really was one for cheesy sign-offs, his mother always did that. Sometimes sent along cookies or homemade sweets if she had recently baked any.

But this made Jack’s heart pound harder than it ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did i write this to avoid studying for my math midterm this friday? Yes i did
> 
> Also did i write this while listening to Take That? Yes i did
> 
> Also do i get robbie williams confused with robbie rotten from lazytown 24/7?? Yes
> 
> Also also I was losING MY ABSOLUTE SHIT imagining olive listening to East 17 holy fuCK, if you’ve never listened to them, I highly recommend giving some of their songs a listen. I don’t know why it was sO funny to me, but it’s fine i can make fun of my own OC


	74. another not a chapter but a question instead lol

hi guys!

this is gonna be hella embarrassing if this flops but like oh well anyways would you guys be interested in a collaborative spotify playlist?? just like a little place we can all share songs that either remind you of the fic, or harry potter in general, or whatever. i thought it'd be cute to have a playlist that you guys can listen to while you read/while I write, like a group reading session for the little loyalty fam lmfao. just an idea, but pls lmk! i can set one up lol

hope you all are staying safe and healthy :)


	75. update to collab playlist

alright i'm easily swayed so i made the collaborative playlist last night lol

since ao3 won't take links inside chapters (at least i think they won't), i put the link to the playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2AhTpZuTHqYgqvrkslm7mu?si=oOTsA2mPTzKQhz_108KXRA OR ACTUALLY JUST SCAN THE PIC BELOW ON UR SPOTIFY APP i'm so done with this god

happy listening!! also be kind to one another and don't delete songs that others have added bc that's a dick move


End file.
